Olympics: Athletes warned against hand-shakes

LONDON: Britain’s athletes have been told of the dangers of shaking hands at this year’s Olympics in case they pick up a bug that could wreck their prospects. The British Olympic Association’s (BOA) chief medical officer said that, ‘within reason’, shaking hands should be off-limits given the fact that all athletes will live and eat in close proximity at the Games village. The BOA has drawn up a list of health advice for its 550-strong team of athletes and 450 support staff for the Games, with illness identified as the greatest threat to performance along with injury.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 7^th, 2012.