Golf's Rio exodus may hit sport's Olympic prospects - ICC

International Cricket Council (ICC) Chief Executive David Richardson gestures as he speaks during a news conference in New Delhi, India, March 9, 2016. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

LONDON (Reuters) - High-profile withdrawals of male golfers from next month's Rio Games might damage cricket's chances of becoming an Olympic sport, fears the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Golf's return to Olympics for the first time since 1904 has been hit by big-name male withdrawals over health concerns triggered by the outbreak of the Zika virus in Brazil.