Los Angeles Times

Health experts want Games moved because of Zika

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A group of 150 professors, scientists and doctors have sent an open letter to the World Health Organizati­on, insisting that lingering concerns about the Zika virus call for the 2016 Summer Olympics to be postponed or moved.

The Games are scheduled for Aug. 5-21 in Rio de Janeiro, which has been hit particular­ly hard by the outbreak.

“We make this call despite the widespread fatalism that the Rio 2016 Games are inevitable or ‘too big to fail,’ ” the letter states. “History teaches this is wrong.”

WHO and Olympic officials believe the spread of Zika will subside by the time the Games are held in August because the mosquito population will decrease during the Southern Hemisphere's winter. —David Wharton

Argentine soccer superstar Lionel Messi left the field with a back injury in the second half of a 1-0 victory over Honduras in a friendly at Buenos Aires . ... Manchester United announced the long-awaited hiring of Jose Mourinho on a three-year deal as coach, ushering in an new era for a club that has slumped as an English Premier League force since Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013 . ... Brazil Coach Dunga has called up veteran midfielder Kaka to replace Bayern Munich’s Douglas Costa for the Copa America, leaving Brazil without two of its best young players. Barcelona star Neymar is skipping the tournament next month, opting for the Olympics . ... Croatia has been ordered to play two World Cup qualifying matches in empty stadiums for repeated cases of fans chanting fascist slogans. FIFA also fined the Croatian soccer federation 150,000 Swiss francs ($151,000).

Keenan Reynolds, the NCAA career leader in touchdowns will get his chance to play in the NFL this season after Defense Secretary Ashton Carter announced that the Navy quarterbac­k and fullback Chris Swain can defer their military service. Reynolds was drafted in the sixth round by the Baltimore Ravens.

Mississipp­i has self-imposed scholarshi­p reductions in football because of NCAA violations and is still investigat­ing more allegation­s involving firstround NFL draft pick Laremy Tunsil. ... Georgia Athletic Director Greg McGarity has apologized to the athletic associatio­n’s board of directors following the disclosure that rapper Ludacris was paid $65,000 to perform at the spring football game and also was provided liquor and a box of condoms.

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