RORY McILROY’s decision to pull out of the Olympic Games in Rio has not gone down well with Twitter’s Irish sports fans.
Citing the threat of the Zika virus as a risk he is “unwilling to take” with his family in mind, McIlroy’s withdrawal has been met with scepticism, anger and disbelief.
With the event beginning as soon as August 5, the timing of McIlroy’s decision has not gone well, although it does pave the way for another Irish golfer to go to Rio.
Whoever that may be, they won’t offer the same medal hopes that world number four McIlroy would have filled Irish fans with, and the Co. Down man is now feeling the wrath of the Twittersphere.
@rtenews yeah right!!! He found his excuse!!! The tri colour would have been too much weight to carry!!!
— corobrien (@hairypopeye) June 22, 2016
@BBCSPORTNI @BBCRadioFoyle That solves his problem , about playing for the UK or Ireland, he considers himself British, saved by a virus!
— Sands (@saoirse161616) June 22, 2016
McIlroy using the Zika excuse after a night on the piss with the Norn Irn lads ! just be man enough to give your real reasons and move on
— david henderson (@dvehendo) June 22, 2016
@BBCSPORTNI wonder if NI were playing football in Brazil would he go? #excuses.
— Patrick O Toole (@pmakgreb10) June 22, 2016
Reckon the Zika virus is a convenient excuse for Rory McIlroy not to represent Ireland at the Olympics - he is British afterall
— David Patterson (@DPatz13) June 22, 2016
I have cried tears & spilled blood in trying to qualify for Rio. This affirms my opinions. We are better w/o him!! https://t.co/kzjxKQfKFr
— Darren O'Neill (@DarrenONeil) June 22, 2016
Sift through his interviews from last couple of years. Rory McIlroy was never exactly enthusiastic about representing Ireland in Rio.
— Kieran Cunningham (@KCsixtyseven) June 22, 2016
McIlroy pulling out over Zika is probably a bit OTT. Though it's worth remembering he essentially put the Irish Open back on the map
— Brian Anglim (@BrianAnglim1) June 22, 2016
McIlroy pulling out of Rio, don't see the main man @marsden_lewis doing that do ya? He's not scared.
— Daniel Fagan (@FaganDaniel) June 22, 2016
Never mind McIlroy. He never seemed altogether too keen to represent Ireland at Rio. We have many, many more fine golfers both able &willing
— Miriam Kennedy (@Miriam_Kennedy) June 22, 2016
@SkyNews would that be for Northern Ireland southern Ireland make his mind up
— Daz Leicester (@Daz_Leicester) June 22, 2016
@SkyNews is he with child ?
— Adam (@___Adam) June 22, 2016
@EuropeanTour @MidlandsSport @McIlroyRory never any doubt. He couldn't stand the idea of standing behind a tricolour. Good riddance
— Steve Thompson (@our_ads1978) June 22, 2016
@IndoSport why is he pregnant?. Or is this a great way of not having to decide between declaring for team GB or Ireland #convenientexcuse
— Stephen Pender (@stephenpender) June 22, 2016
