His
move comes after four-time golf champion Rory McIlroy pulled out this
month for similar reasons, while several other Golf big names
have also said they won't travel to South America.
"The
reason for my decision is my concerns about the possible transmission
of the Zika virus and the potential risks that it might present to my
wife's future pregnancies and to future members of our family," Day said
in a statement published on his Twitter account.
"I have
always placed my family in front of everything else in my life. Medical
experts have confirmed that while perhaps slight, a decision to compete
in Rio absolutely comes with health risks to me and my family. My wife
Ellie and I have been blessed with two wonderful and healthy children
and our plans is to have more.
"While it has always been a
major goal to compete in the Olympics on behalf of my country, playing
golf cannot take precedent over the safety of our family. I will not
place them at risk."
Zika
virus disease is caused by a virus transmitted primarily by Aedes
mosquitoes and symptoms include mild fever, skin rash, conjunctivitis,
muscle/ joint pain, malaise or headache. Zika virus is a cause of
microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome in new born babies.
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