Just as Rio Olympics organizers were trying to put Zika concerns to rest in one final presentation to International Olympic Committee bigwigs, top American cyclist Tejay van Garderen announced that he would be staying home due to his worries about the virus.
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Zika, which is carried by mosquitoes and has been linked to serious birth defects, is affecting large parts of Latin America and is prevalent in both Brazil and Rio de Janeiro.
The cyclist’s decision came a week after more than 100 medical experts, academia and scientists called for the Rio Olympics to be postponed or moved because of fears that the event could speed up the spread of the Zika virus. “If circumstances were different I would have loved to be selected again to represent the U.S., but my family takes priority and it’s a decision that I’m completely comfortable with. I hope that I’ll be in the position to race at the 2020 Olympic Games”.
A two-time victor of the USA Pro Challenge, van Garderen placed fifth in the Tour de France in 2014 and in 2012 – the same year he raced for the U.S.in the London Olympics. He competed in the 2012 Olympics and was expected to excel on Rio’s hilly course, well matched to his climbing abilities.
Several athletes have expressed concern about the possibility of contracting the virus.
“We believe women that are planning pregnancies have to take extra care and it is up to them and their family to decide”, Andrada said.
At a news conference, Rio 2016 Organizing Committee President Carlos Nuzman told reporters “there is not a public health risk with Zika”, according to the Around the Rings website.
USA track cyclist Sarah Hammer, who will compete in two events at the Rio Games, told the AP that she is not concerned about Zika but that she is educating herself before traveling to Brazil. “Am I anxious? No”. But she said “I’ve always protected myself”. “I’m much more at ease with this decision than I would be if I were trying to go to the Olympics”.
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Tejay van Garderen concentrates before a stage of the 2014 Tour de France. “But they’re facing a lot of hard challenges”.
