The Rio Olympics are finally underway after a long and tedious wait. The summer Games, held in South America for the first time, had been under the threat of delay and an incomplete Olympic village did not help the doubters. The other thing that the Olympics had been under the threat of was the deadly Zika virus that has been rampant across Brazil, and many athletes decided to pull out of the Olympics games than have their children infected by the virus. Here is a list of the top 5 athletes’ that pulled out of the Olympics due to this deadly virus:-
- Rory Mcllory
Golf is returning to Olympics after a 112-year absence and it was supposed to be a tough event with the best golfers in the world going head to head. But Mcllroy decided to pull out saying “my health and my family’s health comes before everything else. Even though the risk of infection from the Zika virus is considered low, it is a risk nonetheless and a risk I am unwilling to take”
- Milos Raonic
Wimbeldon runner-up Milos Raonic was another big name that pulled out of the Summer Games due to fears over the mosquito-carried Zika virus. Raonic cited uncertainty around that was building up around the virus as an issue for his withdrawal.
- Jason Day
The world’s top golfer, Jason Day announced that he was not going to take part in this year’s Olympics because of the Zika Virus. He said that the virus posed a threat to the health of his wife and future family members, and conceded that while winning in the Olympics was his dream, he was not going to risk the health of his family.
- Tomas Berdych
The giant Czech was another tennis player to withdraw due to the fear of the dreaded virus. He said, “It is because of the Zika virus spread in the country of the Olympics. As I have started a family recently … limiting health risks towards my nearest is the utmost priority.”
- Tejay van Garderen
American cyclist van Garderen was tipped for a possible medal at this year’s Olympics but he too decided to withdraw because of issues related to the health of his pregnant wife and future members of his family. In a similar statement to golfer, Jason Day, he said, although the risk was minimum, it was not one he was willing to take.
As we can see, the Zika virus has already spread it fear among the athletes , with these 5 among a number of athletes that decided to skip the Olympics in order to safeguard their own and their families health.
