Rugby World Cup matches scheduled for earthquake hit Christchurch in New Zealand are being moved to other venues.
Organisers said the city would not be ready to host five pool matches and two quarter-finals after last month’s 6.3 magnitude earthquake which killed at least 166 people.
The quarter-finals will be moved to Eden Park in Auckland while the five other matches planned for Christchurch’s damaged Lancaster Park will be moved to other stadiums around the country for the tournament which tales place on September 9-October 23.
World Cup minister Murray McCully said: “It is with sincere regret that the stakeholders have agreed today that all of the 2011 rugby World Cup games scheduled to be held in Christchurch will be moved. The government had a very strong wish for all of the scheduled matches, or failing that, most of the scheduled games to be held here in Christchurch.
“At the end of the day we were faced with the reality that the risks were unacceptable in relation to the largest sporting event ever hosted in this country, one that calls for certainty and for the elimination of risk.”
Tournament chief Martin Snedden said a decision on where the pool matches would be reallocated would be made by the end of March. People holding tickets for matches in Christchurch would be offered a refund or the ability to secure tickets at the new venues, he said.
“Our instinct today is that three of the pool matches will go to the South Island and that will probably result in the other existing venues (Nelson, Dunedin, Invercargill) around the South Island getting an extra match … and I also think it’s probably likely a couple will go into the North Island,” added Snedden.