Chicken pox forces San Jose out of Spanish Olympic squad

Spain,Sports, Mon, 09 Jul 2012 IANS

Madrid, July 9 (IANS) Athletic Club Bilbao defender Mikel San Jose, has been forced to withdraw from the Spanish football squad for the London Olympics due to chicken pox.

The central defender has to leave the Spain training camp to avoid the risk of infecting the other 21 players called up by coach Luis Milla.

"There are a lot of players who have already suffered the disease, but a lot who have not and we can't take the risk of taking a player who could infect the others. We have carried out tests on the others," informed Jorge Guillen, the doctor of the Spanish Olympic squad.

San Jose is the second player to drop out of the squad following Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcantara, who has not fully recovered from a broken tibia.

Thiago was replaced by Real Sociedad midfielder, Asier Illaramendi, but with only 18 players allowed to travel to London, it is not certain whether or not Milla will call up another player.