USA Today · Jun 1, 2016
Are Paralympians more vulnerable than Olympians in Rio?
(Photo: The Associated Press)RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Peter Van de Vliet relished the question about special risks facing Paralympic athletes competing in Rio de Janeiro.
But the medical and scientific director of the International Paralympic Committee didn't have a simple answer.
The question: Are Paralympic athletes more vulnerable than Olympic athletes to environmental problems in Rio, including water pollution in venues for sailing, rowing, canoeing, and swimming — and the Zika virus?
Van de Vliet said he had not heard of any Paralympic athlete pulling out of Rio.
The Paralympics open Sept. 7 with 4,350 athletes, preceded by the Olympics, which run Aug. 5-21 with 10,500.