SINGAPORE: Organizers on Saturday canceled the first day of the Singapore leg of the FINA World Championships due to choking haze from agricultural fires on a nearby Indonesian island.

Heats were held in the morning but organizers scrapped the finals scheduled in the evening after Singapore’s air quality worsened from “unhealthy” to “very unhealthy” levels.

Fifteen events supposed to be held Saturday evening at an open-air swimming complex were canceled, organizers said in a statement.

Competitors include four-time Olympic gold medalist Missy Franklin of the United States, who was slated to make her competitive debut in Singapore for the 200m backstroke.

Organizers said it was the first time that the Singapore leg of the FINA World Championships hsd been canceled since the city-state hosted the competition in 2007.

“The level of haze in the venue overpassed the limit established by the Singapore government,” FINA said in a statement.

It said the health of athletes, spectators and officials “is the top priority for FINA, therefore the events were canceled.”

Organizers offered refunds for spectators who had already purchased tickets.

The canceled events will not be carried out on the second day of the competition on Sunday.

Competitors will use their best times recorded in Hong Kong, Beijing and the Singapore heats to decide on the payment of the prize money, the organizers said.

Organizers said Sunday’s races were officially on but they will further monitor the haze conditions and will cancel if the air quality remains above the Pollutant Standards Index threshold.

Malaysia, Singapore and large expanses of Indonesia have suffered for weeks from acrid smoke billowing from fires on plantations and peatlands that are being illegally cleared by burning on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.

The crisis grips the region nearly every year during the dry season, flaring diplomatic tensions among the neighbors as flights are grounded, schools close and pollution levels reach hazardous highs.