The Atlantic has an article detailing South Korea's effort to protect its athletes from the Zika virus:
Zika virus is now influencing fashion standards at the Olympics.
The South Korean Olympic committee has found a way to infuse mosquito-repellent chemicals into the team's uniforms for this summer's Games in Rio de Janeiro. All outfits, which are worn during ceremonies, training sessions, and in the Olympic Village, have long pants and long-sleeve shirts. The provisions will apparently prevent South Korean athletes from being bitten by mosquitoes that may be infected with the virus that's been linked to birth defects.
[...] While all athletes will be able to use mosquito-repellent spray during the competitions, their sporting uniforms won't have special protections "because of strict rules and performance concerns," reports the AP.
U.S. Olympic officials have expressed deep concern over the Zika virus in Brazil, but they have not changed uniforms just yet. During the closing ceremony, both the men and women will wear Ralph Lauren-designed shorts. Still, U.S. Olympic Committee officials did tell leaders of U.S. sport federations in a call in January that some athletes should consider not going to the Games if they are concerned with their health.
Also coverered in The Telegraph
(Score: 2) by Capt. Obvious on Tuesday May 03 2016, @07:35PM
The Rio olympics are an undersold disaster, and have the Zika virus and unfinsihed venues to contend with. Why not just let a previous host rehost the Summer Olympics this year.
(Score: 2) by opinionated_science on Tuesday May 03 2016, @07:55PM
Score for practical suggestion: 100%
Score for political reality: 0%.
So much money involved, they'd hold the event to empty stadiums for the footage syndication...I am guessing of course, unless there's another commenter with actual data!!
(Score: 2) by frojack on Wednesday May 04 2016, @03:30AM
Well its not the only place that is sort of in panic mode:
MLB was planning a two-game series of Miami Marlins against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Puerto Rico, but that will not be held there because of concerns about the Zika virus
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2016/05/03/marlins-remain-worried-about-zika-risk-in-puerto-rico/83888096/ [usatoday.com]
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by VLM on Tuesday May 03 2016, @08:01PM
You forgot the sewage treatment plant money going "missing" so the water sports are scheduled to be performed in a septic tank AFAIK.
Oh and they're in a political and economic collapse.
And summer is revolution season not sports season.
And athletes are already starting "due to unavoidable family and schedule concerns" excuses in some stories I've read.
Might be like the 80/84 olympics which kinda happened on paper but not many showed up.
I like the idea of holding it in Greece every year. You wanna host the olympics in your country? Go ahead found western civilization and we'll check in again, in about 2000 years.
Right now I'm not sure whats going to be more entertaining viewing, the Republican convention or the Olympics. Maybe the best TV news ratings in a generation coming up this summer.
Another funny point is that cities that host the olympics are in ruins within 20 years at a rate WAY above statistical norms, probably due to the corruption and waste of money, plus the "how do we distract them, I know, lets host the Olympics!" mentality. Sarajevo didn't even make it ten years.
(Score: 2) by bitstream on Tuesday May 03 2016, @08:25PM
In my opinion neither the Republican convention or the Olympics is worth the hard work of electrons or the time. For anyone that got internet and books. There got to be more interesting activities.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 04 2016, @01:09AM
Rule 34 applies to archery, as well as track and field.
http://sex-video-xxx.com/?q=archery [sex-video-xxx.com]
http://www.pornhub.com/video/search?search=track+and+field [pornhub.com]
(NSFW, obviously)
(Score: 1) by khallow on Tuesday May 03 2016, @10:01PM
I like the idea of holding it in Greece every year. You wanna host the olympics in your country? Go ahead found western civilization and we'll check in again, in about 2000 years.
That's nonsense. They were awesome 2,000 years ago. Now they're devolving.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 03 2016, @10:17PM
If your country was being flooded by death cult country shoppers...
(Score: 1) by khallow on Tuesday May 03 2016, @11:23PM
If your country was being flooded by death cult country shoppers...
You might not have noticed, but Greece had serious problems that long predate the current Muslim immigration.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 03 2016, @08:02PM
http://www.freakingnews.com/pictures/18500/Man-Wearing-Body-Armor-in-the-Army--18700.jpg [freakingnews.com]
(Score: 3, Funny) by Gaaark on Tuesday May 03 2016, @08:10PM
The suits will also let you play Pokemon and League of Legends in a virtual reality world!
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 03 2016, @08:31PM
The mosquito that spreads Zika - aedes aegypti - is human adapted. It stays close to the ground (where it is hard to see) and bites people around their ankles. It also takes a small sip and then quickly moves on before it is noticed, so one mosquito can infect lots of people. Aegypti also follows people into buildings. This is not a mosquito that buzzes in people's ears. There are other species that carry zika too, but they are less of a threat because they are not particularly human adapted.
So, all those fancy uniforms may not do much good if the athletes don't wear goofy dad socks that ride high up the leg. Embedding pesticide sounds like a bad idea too, do not want that directly on my skin, chaffing it raw and rubbing chemicals directly in to it all day, every day.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 03 2016, @08:37PM
If an athlete can get inside the uniform, I'm pretty sure a virus can too.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by physicsmajor on Tuesday May 03 2016, @08:46PM
Frankly, calling any outfit with exposed skin "proof" against mosquitoes is false advertising.
They're probably significantly more resistant, but unless you go hermetically sealed you aren't mosquito proof.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Wednesday May 04 2016, @03:19AM
Depends on how good the repellent is. You might find all those other athletes want to be your BFF and walk near you in a tight little circle if the repellent is strong enough.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 03 2016, @10:02PM
The spandex olimpics.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 04 2016, @02:45PM
So they went to their local REI-equivalent and bought some permethrin infused clothes? Ok.