Scientists request postponing or moving 2016 Rio Olympics

A group of 150 leading health scientist have written an open letter to WHO director general Dr. Margaret Chan. The letter was published on the internet on May 27th, 2016.

The scientist express their concerns regarding the risk of the upcoming 2016 Rio Olympics, and request that  the event is postponed or moved to a different location. The scientists are making this request out of concern for global health. In their assessment, the Brazilian strain of the Zika virus harms health in ways that science has not observed before. One or more of the expected 500,000 visitors may become a host for  this strain and therefore be transport the virus to places where it could become endemic.

In the view of this group of scientists, it is unethical to run the above risk, when the Olympic Games can be postponed or moved.

Of great interest is that the scientist are suggesting that the WHO has a conflict of interest regarding the Olympic Games in Brazil, as the WHO have entered into an official partnership with the International Olympic Committee, in a Memorandum of Understanding that remains secret.

We join the call for the WHO to make this document public.