Rory McIlroy
After much thought and deliberation, I have decided to withdraw my name from consideration for this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero.
After speaking with those closest to me, I’ve come to realise that my health and my family’s health comes before anything else. Even though the risk of infection from the Zika virus is considered low, it is a risk nonetheless and a risk I am unwilling to take.
I trust the Irish people will understand my decision. The unwavering support I receive every time I compete in a golf tournament at home or abroad means the world to me.
I will continue to endeavour to make my fans and fans of golf proud with my play on the course and my actions off it.
A statement released by Rory McIlroy this morning.
Via Joy Chakravarty
Previously: Now Look What You’ve Done
Fair play to him. He owes the Irish people f all.
Who said he did? His dreadful recent form was clearly a factor which he won’t admit.
And quite possible the Nike/NB team issue
Perhaps, is there a similar issue with the Ryder Cup also?
There is similar issues for half the competeitors there and in world cups and euros.
It’s not an issue, they work around it.
Dav is talking out of his hole again.
Very well constructed points in fantastic Queen’s English, Rotide.
For your information, Nike had an issue with Rory in NB sportswear.
And?
This isn’t unsual in major sporting events. Half the german (addias) team are sponsored by Nike. Bolt is sponsored by a different company than the jamacan team iirc.
Which is what I said above without the illustrations for idiots.
Onanist
Well clearly he’s isn’t.
Aren’t we all….?
Please keep Greg Allen in your thoughts at this difficult time
Whatever the motivation, no one can knock him for making that decision. Good for him.
one motivation not mentioned here is the ol roids. Olympics has a way stricter regime than the PGA.
just sayin!
Real reason’s why McIlroy won’t go:
1. there’s **** all money in it for him
2. the Olympics is below him
3. he wouldn’t win a medal on current form
Yeah I’m sure is sponsors and endorsements would only pay pennies for him to use their stuff on stage the size of the Olympics
+1… Rory will lose potential for a tonne of money for that, but let’s not get in the way of speculation.
How much was he getting from NB for wearing their gear?
Is he allowed to wear his sponsors stuff? Do participants not have to use kit with the Olympic sponsors on it?
remember Sonia O’Sullivan being forced to change gear in a tunnel going into a stadium?The Olympic committees of Every nation are nothing but gangsters.
+1
And yes, he had to wear NB sportswear but he could use his own Nike clubs
you forgot
4. Zika Virus
To imply money is his primary motivation for not playing is very unfair, especially considering he recently donated his €666k Irish open prize money to charity.
I agree. It’s definitely not a money thing. Something tells me he really just wasn’t arsed though…
He’s a total pedal and cranker. He never wanted to go in the first place and he certainly didn’t want to represent Ireland. This virus is a handy excuse for him,the brits are welcome to him.
You know him personally I take it? Why does Britain have anything to do with this decision?
Thought he said before that he had always considered himself to be English?
Will he move from his home in Florida too? If he’s so concerned about the risk. http://patch.com/florida/clearwater/pinellas-logs-6th-zika-virus-case-state-total-rises-206
he was recently in Barbados which is also affected by Zika
http://www.independent.ie/style/celebrity/celebrity-news/rory-mcilroy-soaks-up-the-sun-in-barbados-with-fiance-erica-stoll-34650237.html
Completely stupid and irrelevant point.
The Olympic village is a breeding ground for the spreading of all types of virus.
To be fair to Rory we’ve all pulled out in the past to avoid a virus…
You were joking i know but pulling out won’t stop you catching a virus.
A baby is a virus?
Parasite?
An odious rumour with no truth to it at all is that Rory’s old man once failed to pull out of a groupie on the tour and got her knocked up! That’s a juicy one. Actually given that track record maybe the Zika/pregnancy thing IS a genuine concern after all.
… until 2007 very few cases of Zika in humans were reported. Then an outbreak occurred on Yap Island of Micronesia: http://theconversation.com/explainer-where-did-zika-virus-come-from-and-why-is-it-a-problem-in-brazil-53425
More attention seeking from Rory. When you educate yourself on the actual risks this is ridiculous. Most people who are bitten by an infected mosquito don’t get the virus. There is a simple blood test to identify if you have the virus. If you do you will most likely have no symptoms. After 24days it is no longer possible to transmit the virus sexually. With proper care there is no danger.
And they have these new fangled gizmos called condoms…
Condoms won’t help. The problem is if he is trying to start a family and is carrying the virus, the child might be born with severe deformities. Not really worth the risk…
I know. It was a joke. In poor taste maybe.
That’s alright then, lets all go to Rio and get the virus cos sure what harm!!!
Pack your bags my friend. I’ll pick you up in an hour.
If you have a good reason to go then go. Health organisations are not advising against it.
six months
?
There is possibly an insurance angle in this. Rory would have a very high policy because of his contracts and it may be that they have made the call instead of himself.
The Zika virus posses medical risk to Rory himself so that wouldn’t make sense.
its one of those sports where the big wains are not in the Olympics – golfers, tennis players, road cyclists, wouldn’t dream of olympic gold – they dream of US Opens, Wimbledons, Tour De Frances
Different for athletics, swimmers skeet shooters etc.
wins not wains
Nae bother hen
There was a big to do about whether he’d represent ROI or UK. He chose ROI after a lot of deliberation probably because he didn’t really want to represent the ROI. It came across like he made the choice our of obligation/guilt. He was on the telly singing God Save The Queen at euros, sure. I’d say he just wanted an out and he took it. But this is golf we’re talking about so nuts to it.
What’s the issue with him singing God Save the Queen? He’s from Northern Ireland and that’s their national anthem.
No issue with it. It just almost certainly means he regards himself as a British unionist and representing the ROI means little to him.
I would say that’s your interpretation of it. He can have pride in his country being in the Euros, and doing very bloody well too, as well as being proud to represent Ireland. It’s not one or the other.
Taking pride in the ni football team and singing God Save The Queen are very different things. One is about football and the other is singing loyalty to the British monarch. You’re not going to find many northern nationalists/Catholics who’ll sing gstq. People who sing it do so because they’re proud to be British and probably wouldn’t want to represent the republic of ireland in a sports event.
I disagree. In fact I think you’re attaching too much significance to it. What I’m trying to say is that for some people in NI identify as Northern Irish. Not unionist, not nationalist but Northern Irish. And whatever it’s origin or history, for some singing that anthem is about supporting their country, not about their affiliations.
That said, I don’t claim to know any of Rorys motivations but I don’t believe it’s fair to just write him off like that. He’s an excellent golfer when he’s on form (regardless of how much of a toerag he is off the course) and he has chosen to represent Ireland.
I’m not writing him off. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing he regards himself as British. I’m also pretry sure he’s said on record that he regards himself as British.
You could be right. I’m pretty sure I read the same thing, actually. But, and this is just food for thought, there are footballers on the Irish team who were born in England,who only got in because Nana was Irish or something like that, and I just wonder if they consider themselves to be Irish or English. Or both perhaps.
So what? Why has this any relevance to the topic?
Only the ones that believe in god!
the Olympics…watch with the knowledge that the winners may lose their medals one day.
the purity of all sport is waning!
The OCI is the olympic committee of the entire island of Ireland (the Republic and the North). There was never any ‘to do’ about him representing the Republic of Ireland.
But he’s a twit off the course – what gave him notions that his fans were proud of him?
yawnarama
What a disingenuous, spoiled and manipulative plank that man is. He swings clubs for a multi billion dollar living. Oh poor poor Rory, maybe he should sue his agent again.
“He swings clubs for a multi billion dollar living” – I hate when idiots try and belittle a profession by attempting some literal explanation of the job/sport in question . “Soccer players just kick a pig’s bladder around.” It’s unoriginal, and a poor attempt at humour. Would you say “brain surgeons just hack away at meat with a pointy knife”? Probably you would, that’s what makes you an idiot.
I don’t really care about this Rory McElroy debate, but I do care about people endlessly repeating the same jokes that were probably funny once, but have been so overused and clichéd that they only serve to highlight the commentator’s lack of intellect.
Bullsh1t comment. I stand by what I said. It’s no joke. And I do think golf is a fine endeavour for a sports man, but a billion dollars? Please. And what is this billionaire golf ‘ambassador’ saying to the people of Brazil, ‘oh keep your Zika infested swamp you peasants I’m a billionaire golfer don’t you know’. To hell with him and you as well.
You’re always welcome
We need Shane Lowry to take part
In Y Fronts
Sorry Im thinking out aloud here, he is a cute little bear…
Golf shouldn’t be an Olympic sport.
Why not? Please illustrate your answer with relevant examples.
I somewhat agree with you but it’s very hard to make a good logical argument as to why it shouldn’t be when you look at the rest of the sports that are included.
Bear in mind that iirc, it’s an exhibition sport this time around.
Whatever about golf itself, isn’t the Olympics supposed to be about amateurs?
You mean Amateurs like Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic and Lebron James and David Beckham and Mark Cavendish and , well you get the point.
Does anyone seriously watch the Olympics anymore? Steroids on tour.
No not really, it’s dwindled to a only a few billion now.
This guy. Ha. Sarcasm.
Excellent
Yes. Alot of people watch the Olympics.
I frivolously watch it.
Would be much more interesting as an amateur golf competition IMO, we watch these guys all the time
Fair enough.
Zika is an acceptable reason not to go. Impacted our summer holiday decisions too :(
The Zika virus, clearly not a golf fan.
Not overly fond of the olympics it would appear.
The Rio Olympics are going to be a total disaster, even without Zika. The sailors/whoever else uses that infested lake is taking their lives in their hands too.
They couldn’t even have a torch event the other day without the jaguar (!) featured in the ceremony escaping and having to be shot.
People said the same about the World Cup in Brazil and it turned out to be one for the best in recent memory. They had massive problems and the back handers galore were rife by a guy named Ricardo Teixeir who was as crooked as a fiddlers elbow. They put on a good show (plus the type of football being played was pretty good as well). They have had massive problems with the stadium for the Olympics but I would imagine they will get it sorted before it is all due to start. Regarding McIlroy, I would imagine this is a perfect excuse not to participate in an event he had very little interest in doing in the first place. Good luck to him but could have just said no at the start and avoided all the drama now.
Problems with the stadium:
https://www.thestar.com/sports/2016/04/26/rio-olympics-countdown-clock-hits-100-days-but-problems-persist.html
Ricardo Teixeir the dodge ball:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-33107937
Leave Duran Duran alone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4w7H48tBS8