Andy-Murray
Gold medalist from London 2012, Andy Murray is worried about risk to his young family at the 2016 Rio Olympics in Brazil.

The 29-year-old British defending champion said he had been influenced by recent reports of scientists saying it was “unethical” for the summer Olympics and Paralympics to go ahead.

Murray said he will seek medical advice about Zika before committing to the Olympics.

New dad Murray is worried after scientists called for the Games to be moved from Rio or postponed because of the Zika epidemic there.

The London 2012 champion and world No 2 tennis ace told the BBC: “It is something I will speak to a couple of doctors about.”

Murray, who reached the last eight of the French Open, will be worried about any effects on him and his family if he caught the virus.

Zika has been linked to microcephaly in babies whose mothers caught the virus while pregnant.

It can lead to infants having a smaller head and brain damage.

Murray’s daughter Sophia was born to wife Kim in February.

The Zika virus outbreak began in Brazil a year ago, but now more than 60 countries and territories have continuing transmission.

A number of potential competitors, across a range of sports, have voiced their concern about the Zika situation in Rio and their possible participation in the Games.

Golfers Rory McIlroy, Danny Willett and Shane Lowry are among them, with Fiji’s Vijay Singh and Australians Adam Scott and Marc Leishman already having pulled out.

World number one men’s tennis player Novak Djokovic said cancelling the Games would be “unthinkable”.

The 29-year-old Serb added: “For the moment I’m planning to play. Nothing is changing. But let’s see what happens.”

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