Trinidadian Minister of Health Jerry Narace said he recommended rescheduling the weeklong event, which was due to start on July 12 and run until July 19, until the flu threat subsides, but officials determined it would be too difficult to find another date this year so "postponement will mean cancellation."

 

More than 2,000 competitors and officials from 26 countries competing in six sports were expected to attend the event in Trinidad's capital Port of Spain, which had cost $34.2 million (£20.7 million).

At least a dozen participants in a volleyball tournament, including players from the Trinidad and Suriname teams, tested positive for H1N1 influenza after a tournament in Trinidad last week.

Narace said the fact that athletes and their delegations had to share rooms was a factor in the spread of the virus.

 

Officials in Trinidad had spent more than three years organising the event, which they hoped might lead to a bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

 

Trinidad's Ato Boldon, the former world 200 metres champion, who was an Ambassador for the event hopes that it can still take place.

 

He said: "The reasons for having the Games are still valid, whether it is swine flu, the economy, whatever, now clearly is not the right time and you have to respect that decision.

 

I don't think [the Caribbean Games] is going to go away, I think it's just going to be postponed for now."

 

The second event is due to be held in Cuba in 2013.

 

The Caribbean Football Union (CFU) has also cancelled its scheduled Boys Youth Cup tournament this summer because of concerns over the swine flu threat.

 

CFU president Jack Warner called an emergency meeting yesterday to announce the decision to cancel the boys tournament and also to postpone the Girls Youth Cup slated for August.

 

He said: "It pains me to announce today that the CFU Boys Youth Cup has been cancelled and the Girls Youth tournament has been postponed.

 

"I cannot ignore this threat, many of my members and staff have expressed grave concerns about the level of preparedness to deal with the pandemic in this country and while I can only assure them, my priority at all times remains the safety and well-being of my members and the youth of this region."