With the Olympics coming up in August, there has been plenty of debate as to if the games should still occur or not, largely because of the Zika Virus Disease. Zika can be deadly, especially for newborns, and many believe that athletes should not have to risk contracting the virus as a result of playing the sport they love. In this article, I'll give my opinion on the debate
What is Zika?
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Zika Virus Disease is a disease caused by the Zika virus, spread primarily through mosquito bites. While the symptoms in an adult are typically mild and rarely require hospitalization, Zika can cause terrible birth defects that affect the brain.
BBC provided an infographic about one of the birth defects caused by Zika:
Zika and the Olympics
Zika is present in Latin American countries, and Brazil is no exception. With the games in Rio, many people feel as if the Olympics should be postponed until the disease as been eradicated, or it should be relocated entirely.
Recently, 150 experts came together to write a letter on why the Olympics should be postponed or moved. Yet the World Health Organization rejected this entreaty, claiming that Brazil is one of 60 countries with the disease, and that Zika has not prevented people from traveling to Rio.
What should happen?
I think that the Olympics should be moved or postponed. If 150 health experts believe that Zika can be harmful to thousands of athletes, then I say that this is not a risk that the International Olympic Committee nor the WHO should take. Moreover, a city in Brazil is considered to be ground zero for the disease.
While it may be too late to move or postpone the Olympics, I firmly believe that this is not a chance that athletes should take. Putting your health and safety at risk to play sports goes against what many athletes believe. It might be difficult to find a host country ready to take over the responsibilities of the games, but it might be in the best interests of everyone to get the games out of Rio.
