Chinese soccer league faces possible suspension as swine flu hits 1 team

Chinese soccer team quarantined over swine flu

BEIJING — China’s soccer officials may suspend the Super League after an outbreak of swine flu at one team.

Players and staff of Chongqing Lifan, including Dutch coach Arie Haan, were confined to their training base in western China after 11 players tested positive for the H1N1 virus, the newspaper Titan Sports reported Friday.

Chinese Football Association organizers are considering a series of contingencies for outbreaks, including suspending the season, said Titan, citing association documents.

Such quarantines are usually lifted after one week if no one else tests positive for the virus. Chongqing’s confinement began on Thursday, it said.

Game schedules will be adjusted if only one or two teams are affected, the paper said.

China has not been particularly hard hit by swine flu, although officials warn the virus continues to spread. A total of 6,968 cases, out of a population of 1.3 billion people, have been reported as of Thursday. None of the reported cases have been fatal.