Irish golfer RORY MCILROY has "pulled out of the Olympic Games in Rio because of concerns about the Zika virus." In a statement, McIlroy said that "my health and my family's health comes before everything else." He said, "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" (BBC, 6/22). ... Italy's athletics federation said that Italian 2008 Olympic 50km race walk champion ALEX SCHWAZER, "who returned from a doping ban to win the world championship last month, has tested positive again for a banned substance." A spokesperson said, "There has been a notice of a violation." The spokesperson "could not confirm newspaper reports that the positive was the result of a re-test of a January sample," taken after Schwazer had qualified for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics (REUTERS, 6/22).
DEMANDING AN APOLOGY: The lawyer for MARIA SHARAPOVA has "demanded an apology be made to the banned tennis player" by WADA President CRAIG REEDIE after "he made comments about the Russian’s salary in relation to her two-year doping suspension." Speaking at a WADA conference in London, Reedie "was calling for more funding to be made available" for the organization in order to combat doping when he referenced Sharapova's salary and "claimed that the Russian earns more annually" than what WADA is able to spend. Sharapova’s lawyer, JOHN HAGGERTY, has "hit out at Reedie for bringing her salary into the equation," and claimed that his remarks were “unprofessional” given that every case should be investigated irrespective of earnings (London INDEPENDENT, 6/21).