Thaindian News

New Delhi, Oct 4 (ANI): Australian road cyclist Mark Renshaw has reportedly withdrawn from the Commonwealth Games just hours before the opening ceremony in New Delhi on Sunday because of fears of contracting dengue fever.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Renshaw took the decision after a member of India’s lawn bowls entourage was diagnosed with dengue fever.

Twenty seven-year-old Renshaw battled the debilitating Epstein-Barr virus for several months earlier this year. His withdrawal has reportedly created an opening for Michael Matthews, who last Friday won the under-23 road race world title in Geelong.

‘Renshaw had had an immune system problem in the past, Epstein-Barr virus. I think we’ve found a pretty adequate replacement in Michael Matthews. He’s in pretty good current form,’ Steve Moneghetti, Australia’s chef de mission said.

Earlier, media reports had claimed the first suspected case of dengue fever at the Games. An official with the Indian lawn bowls team left the athletes’ village on Saturday, and was reportedly admitted to a local hospital with symptoms including fever and low blood pressure.

Last week, Renshaw had hinted that health concerns could force him to pull out of the Games.

‘The problem is the mosquitoes and dengue fever. It’s a bit of a worry. I was looking forward to competing a the Commonwealth Games until I came back here to Australia, and now the thought of going to India, and just the way it’s been covered in Australia, it’s pretty daunting,” the paper quoted Renshaw, as saying.

‘To be honest, now the whole British team has pulled out … the point comes where you think is it worth going when we are only going to be racing against India and a couple of these other countries. It’s not going to be a 100 per cent strong field,’ he added.

Eighty-five more people had reportedly tested positive for dengue across Delhi in recent days, bringing the number of confirmed cases to 3468. Seven dengue-related fatalities were confirmed this season. (ANI)