World of sport agonises over response to attacks

The sporting world continued to be divided on Thursday in its response to Tuesday's devastating terror attacks on the United States.

Some officials chose to cancel or postpone events as a mark of respect but others went ahead, arguing that not to do so would be to give in to terrorism.

In the U.S., Major League Baseball said that all games were postponed until the end of this weekend, but would then resume on Monday.

The National Football League (NFL) announced it had cancelled all 15 games scheduled for this weekend but most College Football will go ahead.

This follows the cancellation of the remainder of the regular Major League Soccer season as well this week's PGA Tour golf events. The NBA has also called off a planned exhibition basketball tour to Shanghai and Taipei next week.

In Europe, following the postponement of midweek Champions League and UEFA Cup games, all the major soccer leagues were preparing for full programmes this weekend while Sunday's Formula One Grand Prix at Monza, Italy was also going ahead.

The NFL decision was a particularly sensitive one as in 1963 it was widely condemned after deciding to play a full programme of games only two days after the assassination of president Kennedy, even though the fledgling AFL and most other sporting authorities cancelled their events.

On Sunday, the New York Giants had been due to host the Green Bay Packers at Giants Stadium, only a few kilometres from the site of Tuesday's destruction.

Makeshift Morgue
And with the team's indoor training facility being used as a makeshift morgue for attack victims and its car park employed as a command centre for the rescue and clear-up operation, going ahead with the match seemed unthinkable.

"We in the National Football League have decided that our priorities for this weekend are to pause, grieve and reflect," NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said.

Major League Baseball had already cancelled games on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday following Tuesday's terror attacks but Commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement it was important to return to "normalcy" as soon as possible.

"While I recognise that the suffering from Tuesday's horrific tragedy continues," he said, "I believe that, in the spirit of national recovery and return to normalcy, Major League Baseball as a social institution can best be helpful by resuming play at the most appropriate time."

Golf's leading players and the sport's officials were still in discussions about whether to play the Ryder Cup, scheduled for The Belfry, central England, on Sept 28-30.

Several American players have voiced reservations about whether the biennial event between Europe and the U.S. should go ahead, both for emotional and safety reasons.

However, the European and U.S. Tours said they were continuing to discuss the issue and would not make a rushed announcement while the PGA of America said on Thursday it hoped the competition would go ahead.

"It is our desire for the Ryder Cup matches to go forward," said PGA of America CEO Jim Awtrey.

Many Logistics
"Having said that, the magnitude of the matches requires many logistics which are impacted by the events of this week.

"We are re-assessing every logistic connected with the matches - a process which will take a number of days and which will require input from our government. When our assessment is complete, we will make further announcements as appropriate."

Several players were torn about what to do.

"Do you want the terrorists to influence your life in more ways than they already have or do you cancel it (the Ryder Cup) out of respect for what has happened?" said American Scott Hoch.

Britain's Colin Montgomerie said he thought playing the match could send a positive message.

"We can use this to be beneficial in a way...uniting us through sport," he said.

The American Express Championship in St Louis, due to start on Thursday, was called off after talks with the sponsors, who have their headquarters in Manhattan, and its $5 million prize money will be donated to the disaster relief fund.

Under Fire
European soccer's governing body UEFA is considering compensation -- up to $7.5 million in total -- for clubs who had already travelled for midweek matches before they were called off but it is under fire for allowing some to go ahead.

While many clubs have said they will apply for compensation, Dutch side PSV Eindhoven have gone one stage further and want a replay of their game against Nantes, which they lost 4-1 on Tuesday, claiming their players were not in the right frame of mind to play.

Despite calling off Wednesday's eight Champions League games and Thursday's remaining 43 UEFA Cup matches, UEFA have been criticised for taking too long to do so and for allowing other matches to go ahead on Tuesday.

Meanwhile New Zealand cricket officials have cancelled their forthcoming three-test tour of Pakistan and withdrew its A team from a one day tournament in Hyderabad, India, but England's winter tour of India and New Zealand will go ahead as planned.

Irish rugby officials have postponed Friday's Celtic league game between Munster and Cardiff until Saturday and asked clubs not to engage in any activity on the day, declared a day of mourning across Europe.