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U.S. Olympic Committee Creates Panel to Address Zika Concerns

As concerns continue to grow about the Zika virus in Brazil ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympics, the U.S. Olympic Committee has announced plans to create a safety advisory board.

The team of doctors will provide athletes and staff with information to stay healthy, safe and able to compete at a high level.

Athletes hoping to make the trip to Rio, like Erin Clodjo with the U.S. Women's National Wrestling team, are concerned.

"I was stressed about the Zika virus and getting bit," said Clodjo.

She was in Brazil just one month ago for Olympic test events. Since then she has seen the disease explode in numbers.

To protect its athletes the USOC panel will develop educational material and be available to offer updates and create plans for athletes who become ill.

"There's no doubt in my mind that they will put the right policies and procedures in place to do the best they can," said Terry Steiner, coach of the U.S. Women's National Wrestling team.

The Olympics will be held Aug. 5 to 21, during the winter in Brazil, and mosquitoes aren't expected to be as abundant.

Nonetheless, Steiner said he and his team will take all the necessary precautions.

"These athletes, for them it's probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be there and represent your country and trying to win a medal, so I think they will pretty zeroed-in on what they need to focus on," Steiner said.

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