Spurs guard Tony Parker is intent on playing in the Olympics this summer come hell, highwater, or Zika.
Parker said Thursday that he won’t let concerns over the mosquito-borne virus prevent him from representing his native France in Rio for what will be his final Olympic games, per Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio-Express News.
Tony Parker says Zika virus won't keep him from playing in what will be his last Olympics. #Spurs
— Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) June 16, 2016
The 34-year-old Parker is entering the twilight of his basketball days, and it looks like he’s not about to let anything get in the way of what will be the final hurrah of his illustrious career in international play this summer.
Zika fears are already weighing down heavily on the minds of many, however, including another well-known European basketball star. Notable names from USA Basketball (including James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and Stephen Curry) have also announced their intentions to skip the Rio Games for reasons that may or may not be Zika-related.
For what it’s worth, the World Health Organization has already come out and said that the Zika threat is not enough for the Rio Olympics to be moved, postponed, or cancelled, citing, amongst other things, a tendency of the carrier mosquito population to thin out by August when the Games will be held. Hopefully, that means other prominent athletes will soon follow Parker’s lead and not let Zika anxiety prevent them from suiting up in Rio.
H/T Rotoworld
