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.
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. Several athletes, including some of the world's most well-known golfers, have pulled out of the competition citing concerns about Zika, even after the World Health Organization said the risk of catching the virus during Rio's winter months was low.
"To continue our support for the fight against mosquito-borne diseases, we will use our 60 years of expertise in mosquitoes to educate athletes, volunteers and spectators about how they can protect themselves against mosquito bites," SC Johnson's chief executive officer Fisk Johnson said in the statement.
Rio 2016 organizers have tried to calm concerns about the impact of Zika, saying recently that not a single athlete among the 7,000 who competed in 44 test events has contracted it.