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This week in sports and swine flu

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At least the pigskin isn’t affected by the swine flu. Now officially called H1N1, the virus has affected sports in the United States and even right here in Los Angeles.

Before you call your softball league in a panic, remember that H1N1 has killed just 73 people worldwide (as reported by the Associated Press) compared with an annual average of 250,000 to 500,000 deaths from regular influenza (as reported by the WHO). Only five deaths have been linked to the virus domestically, compared with an average of 36,000 annual fatalities from plain ol’ flu. Still, the scare has forced cancellation or postponement of events involving organizations like the Dodgers and U.S. Soccer.

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The outbreak is also being blamed for delayed bids for the Pan Am Games and caused the Indian woman’s field hockey team to cancel a trip to Canada. And who isn’t affected by the havoc this has caused on international skimboarding competitions?

An earlier south-of-the-border scare caused the cancellation of several Mexican League baseball games and ultimately led to postponement of Saturday’s La Serie Azul at Dodger Stadium. The event was supposed to feature the teams from last year’s Mexican League championship, Diablos Rojos of Mexico City and the Sultanes of Monterrey. The teams have also won the most collective championships in the history of the league.

The Dodgers planned on becoming the first MLB team to present a Mexican League game as a stand-alone event. Officials expect to select a new date in 2010, and are offering refunds to those still holding tickets.

Also this week, the Japanese women’s national soccer team canceled a trip to North America, citing concerns over the virus. They were supposed to play the United States in Texas on May 20 and Utah on May 23, then play Canada in Toronto on May 25. The United States and Canada now plan on playing an exhibition game against each other in Toronto.

Several local players were hoping to see action in those first two games against Japan, including Los Angeles Sol central defender Brittany Bock (looking for her first cap), UCLA’s Lauren Cheney, and former USC star Amy Rodriguez. UCLA women’s soccer coach Jillian Ellis is an assistant with the national team.

-- Adam Rose

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