Berdych, Pliskova withdraw from Rio over Zika concerns

With the Olympics set to start on August 5, the games and the city have been overshadowed by security threats, violence, the Zika virus and a national political corruption scandal.

Recently, the Olympics tennis tournament dealt a major blow as Tomas Berdych, Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic and world number five Simona Halep all made a decision to pull out of the event citing health fears over the mosquito-borne virus.

Britain won 65 medals as the host of London 2012, having won 47 at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“After much deliberation with my family and coaches, I am making this decision for a variety of health concerns including the uncertainty around the Zika virus”, the 25-year-old said on his Facebook page.

“This was a hard, personal choice and I do not wish for it to impact the decision of any other athlete heading to the Games”.

With a dazzling record, including scoring 1,218 goals in 1,363 matches (77 in 91 matches with Brazil’s national team), Edson Arantes do Nascimento – Pele’s birth name – is the only player in history to play on three World Cup-winning teams (1958, 1962 and 1970) and is considered one of the best players of all time. On the women’s side, 18 of the top 20 in the rankings are slated to play, along with 13 of the top 15 men.

The country’s football players, who will play in northern Brazil, were vaccinated against yellow fever. He is playing the RBC Canadian Open this week.

While the symptoms of Zika – which include a rash, headaches and joint pain – are not severe, the virus has been linked to microcephaly in newborn babies and some cases of the muscle-weakening disease Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults.

As most leading sportspersons boycott the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro due to the Zika virus, it seems Zimbabwean athletes going to Brazil are in the dark about the epidemic. “While we understand and respect the concerns over the Zika virus, the International Olympic Committee has assured us that all precautions will be taken to limit the risk to athletes, officials and fans”, ITF president David Haggerty told AFP in a statement. Murray and Serena Williams will try to change that this time. “This is my shot, this is big”, she told USA Today last month.

Scott was among the first golfers to announce he wasn’t going to Brazil, the former world No.1 citing a jam-packed schedule and his focus on the majors as his preference.

“I’ve loved being in the two Olympics that I’ve been at”, said the No. 2- ranked Murray, who won a gold in singles at the 2012 London Games. “I don’t care about no stupid bugs!”

“We are here to put at ease the minds of all residents and tourists coming to the games”, Ricardo Barros said at a news conference.