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Kenya could pull out of Rio Olympics due to Zika concerns: committee head

The logos of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and Rio 2016 Paralympic Games are pictured next to a message on a screen that reads "Message about Zika" during a media briefing in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, February 2, 2016. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes

Kenya could pull out of this year’s Rio Olympics due to concerns over the Zika virus outbreak in Brazil, the head of Kenya’s Olympics committee said on Tuesday.

The logos of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and Rio 2016 Paralympic Games are pictured next to a message on a screen that reads “Message about Zika” during a media briefing in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, February 2, 2016. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes

Kenya boasts some of the best middle and long-distance runners in the world and the East African nation topped the medals table at the 2015 World athletics championships.

Obviously, we are not going to risk taking Kenyans there if this Zika Virus reaches epidemic levels, Kipchoge Keino told Reuters.

(Writing by Drazen Jorgic; editing by John Stonestreet)

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