Brennan: USOC taking measures to ease worries over Zika virus
Aware that concerns about the Zika virus could grow among U.S. female athletes preparing for this summer’s Rio Olympics, the U.S. Olympic Committee said Wednesday it will name at least two infectious disease specialists, one of whom will be a woman,to consult with all prospective U.S. Olympians and members of the delegation.
“The Zika virus is a concern for a number of our athletes and we want to make sure they get all relevant information,” USOC CEO Scott Blackmun told USA TODAY Sports in a telephone interview. “We will continue to receive information from the Centers for Disease Control and share that information with the athletes and staff members on a regular basis.”
The CDC says that women who are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant should consult with a doctor before traveling to countries such as Brazil, where outbreaks of the mosquito-borne Zika virus are spreading. The organization confirmed a link Wednesday between the virus and birth defects in Brazilian babies.
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While the CDC says the virus remains in the blood for only about a week, standout U.S. soccer goalkeeper Hope Solo triggered a national conversation on the topic when she told Sports Illustrated Monday that if she had to "make the choice today," she "wouldn't go" to the Olympics because of concerns about the virus.
Blackmun said he would be sending a note to all USOC staff members as well as the national governing bodies for each Olympic sport later Wednesday.
“They will then distribute it to their athletes to let them know how we intend to keep people informed going forward,” he said. “We want to create a resource for them that will provide updates on a regular basis.”
The infectious disease specialists brought in by the USOC “will be available to talk privately with any athletes, male and female, who have concerns,” Blackmun said. “At least one of the doctors will be a woman, understanding how important this issue is to our female athletes.
“We are six months out, so hopefully we will learn much more about this, but we understand the importance of the issue as it stands now.”
Solo, 34, is married to former NFL player Jerramy Stevens. “I would never take the risk of having an unhealthy child,” she said. “I don’t know when that day will come for Jerramy and me, but I personally reserve my right to have a healthy baby. No athlete competing in Rio should be faced with this dilemma. Female professional athletes already face many different considerations and have to make choices that male professional athletes don’t. ...
“Competing in the Olympics should be a safe environment for every athlete, male and female alike,” Solo said. “Female athletes should not be forced to make a decision that could sacrifice the health of a child.”
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There were more women than men on the U.S. team at the 2012 London Olympics – 269 women to 261 men – and it’s conceivable that will happen again this summer in Rio. Almost all will be young women of child-bearing age.
“As an athlete, you rely so much on your government and your federation to investigate on your behalf so you can focus on the Olympics and the job you have to do,” said Angela Hucles, a two-time Olympic gold medalist on the U.S. soccer team who is now president of the Women’s Sports Foundation. “I’m sure there is concern right now, and you don’t want to have any external worries or concerns when the stakes are so high and you’re playing at such a high level. That takes away time and energy from what you should be doing, which is to prepare for the Olympic Games.”