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 Sports authorities across the world are scrambling to find out more
about the mosquito-borne virus as they make plans for the games in
August.
"Obviously, we are not going to risk taking Kenyans there if this
Zika Virus reaches epidemic levels. They have to assure us that the
country is safe enough to take athletes there," the head of Kenya's
Olympics committee, Kipchoge Keino, told Reuters.
Kenya was expected to be one of the star performers at Rio, fielding
some of the best middle and long-distance runners in the world. The
East African nation topped the medals table at the 2015 World
Championships.
Keino, himself a Kenyan running great, said his office has been in
touch with Olympics organisers to voice their concerns.
"We have made it clear that unless they clean the venues of this
potentially dangerous disease, we will not go there," said the
chairman of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya, who won Olympic
gold medals at the Mexico City and Munich Olympics.
"But if they assure us that things are in order and there is no risk
to participants, mothers, we will go."
The World Health Organization declared an international health
emergency on Feb. 1 over the outbreak of the virus, that authorities
fear is linked to a rise in cases of microcephaly, a birth defect
marked by an abnormally small head.
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The U.S. Olympic committee has told its sports federations that
athletes and staff concerned for their health should consider not
going to Rio.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is
advising pregnant women or those considering becoming pregnant to
avoid travel to places with Zika outbreaks.
(Writing by Drazen Jorgic; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
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