Athletes flouncing due to the Zika virus

[bi0boy]

In golf we have Rory McIllroy, Fijian player Vijay Singh and the Aussie Marc Leishman refusing to go near Brazil in case they get infected.

US cyclist Tejay van Garderen has also ruled himself out.

 

[8den]

The golfists make sense. When do Golfers retire? 40s? 50s? They'll have plenty more swings (ahem) at Olympic gold. But for Athletes with a slimmer window of physical peak, they've been planning Rio for 4 or even 8 years, they're more likely to risk it.

 

[bi0boy]

Apparently our London 2012 long jump gold winner Greg Rutherford is going but he announced to the world this is only because he has had his sperm frozen.

 

[Virtual Blue]

Has no one learnt from Plague INC?

 

[two sheds]

Is 'flouncing' the right word?

 

[2hats]

It's not just an issue for those expecting to procreate, as there is very strong evidence to indicate Zika is raising incidences of Guillain-Barré syndrome (your immune system attacks your peripheral nervous system and can lead to paralysis) which affects adults (particularly males).

 

[Saul Goodman]

Are you suggesting they're wrong to consider their health more important than a medal?

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

The golfists make sense. When do Golfers retire? 40s? 50s? They'll have plenty more swings (ahem) at Olympic gold. But for Athletes with a slimmer window of physical peak, they've been planning Rio for 4 or even 8 years, they're more likely to risk it.

I think it's more that the golfers don't really care about the Olympics. Sure it would be nice to be Olympic champion but it's really not the one big event in golf. I wouldn't be surprised to see people like tennis players or footballers dropping out as well. If you're an swimmer or a track cyclist or whatever it's a bit different.

 

[8den]

Is 'flouncing' the right word?

I think McIllroy decision to pull out gives it (to certain members of the press/public) a air of a flounce. His dithering over whether to commit to GB or Ireland last year was seen as if he wasn't keen or proud to play for his country (as complex an issue as that is for someone born in NI) and therefore his decision to pull out is seen as "proof" of his lack of patriotism/commitment to his "home".

 

[bi0boy]

Are you suggesting they're wrong to consider their health more important than a medal?

Neither the CDC or Public Health England advise against travel to Brazil, just that travelers take appropriate precautions. It's not like the vast majority of the millions of people in Brazil have the option to avoid the area but a bit of solidarity seems too much for these privileged athletes. If the situation was reversed and the locals were asking athletes to boycott the games for some reason, I am sure these flouncers would be the last ones to pull out.

 

[Teaboy]

I think McIllroy decision to pull out gives it (to certain members of the press/public) a air of a flounce. His dithering over whether to commit to GB or Ireland last year was seen as if he wasn't keen or proud to play for his country (as complex an issue as that is for someone born in NI) and therefore his decision to pull out is seen as "proof" of his lack of patriotism/commitment to his "home".

I remember when it was first announced that Golf would be at the Olympics and Mcillroy made an off the cuff comment about probably choosing to represent GB, he was given absolute pelters for saying that. I'm not surprised he's decided to give it a miss.

 

[8den]

I remember when it was first announced that Golf would be at the Olympics and Mcillroy made an off the cuff comment about probably choosing to represent GB, he was given absolute pelters for saying that. I'm not surprised he's decided to give it a miss.

Stephen Ireland and his dodgy dead Grandmother is the only thing that has pissed off the chattering sports class more in Ireland. McIllroy is from the North which has never ever had any problems as to whether or not its people are part of the republic or Great Britain. No one he's glad of an excuse to avoid that headfuck until 2020.

 

[1%er]

I'm not surprised that some people have decided not to come. While August used to be a "good" month with little mosquito activity (it is winter in south Brazil), that isn't always the case. In 2014 Municipal health data for dengue in Rio recorded almost 800 cases in August (clearly those figures don't include all the people who didn't go and seek medical help), that is more cases than were recorded during March, April and May the worst 3 months of the year. The Aedes aegypti mosquito that carries dengue also carries the Zika virus and according to epidemiologists the probability that some visitors traveling to Rio for the Olympics of contacting Zika is significant.

People are being given conflicting information, while the Olympic and Brazilian authorities, who have a massive invested interest are saying "it will be okay, no need to worry", the World Health Organization has declared a global medical emergency for Zika and Brazil is the country with by far the highest number of cases. As mentioned above by 2hats, Guillain-Barre syndrome has increased in areas where Zika is prevalent.

 

[bi0boy]

Kate and Wills have fucked it off. Also like all the golfers lol.

 

[Gromit]

I'm not going to even watch cause I'm worried I might get it off the telly.

You can get computer viruses after all.

 

[Lord Camomile]

I think it's more that the golfers don't really care about the Olympics. Sure it would be nice to be Olympic champion but it's really not the one big event in golf. I wouldn't be surprised to see people like tennis players or footballers dropping out as well. If you're an swimmer or a track cyclist or whatever it's a bit different.

In which case it's interesting that Murray is going. Already won it once, just won Wimbledon and possibly most pertinent with a very young child at home. Clearly he at least thinks the risks aren't severe enough.

 

[2hats]

It's not just an issue for those expecting to procreate, as there is very strong evidence to indicate Zika is raising incidences of Guillain-Barré syndrome (your immune system attacks your peripheral nervous system and can lead to paralysis) which affects adults (particularly males).

It needs much more research into the effects on all adult brains too...

U.S. researchers have found that Zika can attack special populations of brain cells in adult mice in the part of the brain involved in learning and memory, raising new questions about how the virus may be impacting millions of adults who have been infected with the virus.

The findings, published on Thursday in the journal "Cell Stem Cell," are the first to look at whether Zika can attack the same kinds of cells in adult mice that they do in fetal mice.

Experts cautioned that the findings are preliminary and may not have any correlation to how Zika impacts human brain function, but they suggest the need for follow-up research.

Source: Reuters.
See also here.