Rio 2016’s "battle to convince athletes and visitors that the city will be safe from Zika-carrying mosquitoes has led to it signing the Olympics’ first-ever insect repellent partner," according to Panja & Millard of BLOOMBERG. SC Johnson’s OFF! brand, a widely-used repellent in Brazil, "will have an official role" at the Games that begin Aug. 5, with thousands of bottles distributed to athletes, staff and volunteers as part of the agreement, according to a company statement Monday. OFF! Brazil Head Stephane Reverdy said that the company began "working around the clock last November to guarantee supplies amid the Zika scare and is boosting distribution, especially in Rio where it plans to have products available at every supermarket and pharmacy." Several athletes, "including some of the world's most well-known golfers, have pulled out of the competition citing concerns about Zika." Rio 2016 organizers have "tried to calm concerns about the impact of Zika," and said that "not a single athlete among the 7,000 who competed in 44 test events has contracted it" (BLOOMBERG, 7/4).
