Jason Day To Skip Rio Olympics Over Zika Concern
The inclusion of golf in the Olympics for the first time in 112 years led to plenty of excitement from fans of the sport across the world. However, growing concerns about the Rio Olympics just over a month out are damaging the competition.
Australian golfer Jason Day announced he would not be participating in the Rio Olympics on Tuesday, becoming the latest in a long list of athletes to withdraw from the competition, according to the Associated Press via ESPN. Like so many others, Day cited growing concerns over the Zika virus, particularly in relation to his wife’s future pregnancies.
Six golfers have now withdrawn from the competition, with Ireland’s Shane Lowry joining Day on Tuesday. The biggest name of those six is Rory McIlroy, as the New York Times reported last week that the superstar would not be participating in Rio.
The 28-year-old Day has become one of the most popular athletes on the PGA Tour over the past few years. After three heartbreaking second-place finishes in Grand Slam events between 2011 and 2013, Day finally took home his first Major trophy with a victory in the 2015 PGA Championship and Whistling Straits last August.
With a string of strong finishes so far this year, Day is currently the top-ranked golfer in the world. Day won back-to-back tournaments in early March at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and World Golf Championships Match Play competition before shooting -15 to dominate The Players Championship at Sawgrass last month.
Unfortunately, Day won’t have an opportunity to add Olympic Gold to his stellar season. Beyond the links, Day has become a fan favorite due to his charitable works off the course. Day embodies what fans like to see in the Olympics, and it hurts the sport that he won’t get a chance to compete.
The decision to not represent team Australia in Rio was obviously difficult for Day, and he took to Twitter to issue a statement on Tuesday.
— Jason Day (@JDayGolf) June 28, 2016
Several athletes have shared concerns about the Zika virus over fears that it may impact future pregnancies. Day and his wife Ellie have two children already, and are planning on more down the road.
With a month to go until the start of the Rio Olympics, several athletes are sharing Day’s fears, but men’s golf has been hit the hardest with six withdrawals. American cyclist Tejay van Garderen specifically cited Zika as the reason for her withdrawal from the Games, while basketball superstar Stephen Curry said he wouldn’t be in Rio due to multiple factors.
With 16,000 athletes and 600,000 tourists expected to travel to Rio in August, many are warning of a potential Zika crisis, as the virus has hit Brazil hard over the past year. Beyond Zika, there are fears about safety, medical facilities, and transportation, as the government of Brazil is voicing concerns that the Olympics could fail altogether.
Americans Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson are now likely the favorites to win gold following Day’s decision to skip the Rio Games, should they decide to compete themselves. Sadly, the first Olympic golf competition in over a century may be remembered more for who didn’t compete than who won with the likes of Day and McIlroy out.
[Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images]
