Costa Rica's David Acuna (left) heads the ball away from Haiti's striker Daniel Gedeon (second right) in yesterday's CONCACAF Under-17 finals game at Catherine Hall in Montego Bay. Costa Rica won 3-1. - Adrian Frater photo

Western Bureau:

Haiti's participation in the 12-team CONCACAF under-17 championship, now on in western Jamaica, was cut short yesterday when the team announced its withdrawal from the tournament, after it was confirmed that malaria was the mystery illness that had afflicted three players.

"Yes, it is true, medical tests have confirmed that the players are suffering from malaria," said Haiti's coach Wilner Etienne, when contacted late Tuesday night.

"We have other players displaying similar symptoms, so on the advice of the medical experts, we have withdrawn from the tournament and will be returning home."

The Haitian team, which suffered a 3-1 loss to Costa Rica in their opening Group A game on Monday, were slated to play against El Salvador yesterday, in what was supposed to have been a do-or-die assignment for them.

As a result of Haiti's withdrawal, the Honduras team, who were awarded three points and three goals for yesterday's unplayed game; and Costa Rica, who have taken three points from Haiti, have now advanced as the two qualifiers from the three-team Group A.

"It is sad to see them leaving like this but it is something that the situation demands," said Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) general secretary Horace Reid.

Meanwhile, in a proactive move to ensure that malaria does not have any further impact on the tournament, the Ministry of Health has reportedly instituted vector control measures aimed at targeting the malaria parasite, which is transmitted from human to human via the anopheles mosquitoes.

"The health ministry has the responsibility to address that concern," said Reid.

"Based on my information, they are doing just that."

Interestingly, in their last practice game on the eve of the tournament, the Haitians played a friendly game against their Jamaican counterparts at the Ferdie Neita Park, in St Catherine. However, the JFF has no fear that the local players have been affected in any way..

"Had our players being affected, they would have started to show symptoms already," said Reid.

"In addition, we must remember that this (malaria) is not something that is contracted through body contact."

Health scares are nothing new to the CONCACAF Under-17 tournament as the 2009 edition in Mexico was cut short after the group stage following an outbreak of swine flu in Tijuana, the host city.