INQUIRER Sports

PARIS - Despite growing fears over footballers succumbing to swine flu, UEFA said Friday that European matches would go ahead as scheduled unless a club could not field a full team.

UEFA said in a statement issued to the European governing body's 53 federations that matches would go ahead if "a team has a sufficient number of players registered for a UEFA competition", barring any major logistical problem for the local authorities.

The body made the statement ahead of Wednesday's Champions League match between Dynamo Kiev and Inter Milan in the Ukrainian capital.

Ukraine had earlier confirmed its first swine flu deaths, prompting Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko to order schools and cinemas closed and ban public gatherings for three weeks to contain the spread of the virus.

Ukraine also confirmed four deaths from the A(H1N1) virus which prompted Health Minister Vassyl Kniazevich to say the country "has entered into the zone of the swine flu epidemic."

The virus has been spreading in European football leagues, just days after the French first division clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille was postponed after three Parisian players were diagnosed with swine flu.

Spanish second division team Real Betis requested Thursday that its game Sunday be postponed after 13 players became sick with the virus which has also hit English Premier League sides Blackburn Rovers and Bolton.