MELBOURNE, Australia -- Two-time Olympic cycling gold medalist Anna Meares will carry the Australian flag at the opening ceremony for the Rio de Janeiro Games on Aug. 5 but has asked her family not to travel to Brazil due to concerns over security and the Zika virus.Meares was announced Wednesday as the flag bearer and captain of Australias expected 410-member team. The ceremony was attended by former Seattle WNBA basketball player and now-retired Lauren Jackson, who carried the Australian flag at the 2012 London Games.Meares father, Tony, later told Australian Associated Press that the cyclist asked him and his wife, Marilyn, who watched her compete at Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012, not to make the trip to Rio.She has a little bit of a concern about the security for visitors, which is what we would be, Tony Meares said. Whats the best outcome? She was saying `Id prefer you not to come and thats just one worry thats eliminated immediately.Rio de Janeiros high levels of crime and unemployment have been exacerbated by the countrys recent political and economic concerns. Australian officials, and those of several other countries, have instructed their athletes to stay away from the citys slums, known as favelas.Meares says she has also been in contact with team doctors about the mosquito-borne Zika virus which can cause birth defects. The virus has been cited as a reason for many top athletes to pull out of the games, including golfers Jason Day and Rory McIlroy.Its really hard to decipher between hype and reality and Im just trying to take the information (from) the AOCs (Australian Olympic Committees) medical team, she said. Being female ... its been really difficult and Im constantly on the phone to my team doctor. I decided to ... `diss the hype around it.Honestly, it may actually be more beneficial to the people of Brazil, to put a spotlight on something theyre living with daily.The 32-year-old Meares won gold medals at the 2004 and 2012 Games. She will defend her title in the individual sprint and also compete in the team sprint and keirin at Rio.For me, a country girl, a coal miners daughter, to become the flag bearer for this country leaves me very emotional and proud, said Meares, who was born in the western Queensland outback town of Blackwater. Colorado Avalanche Gear . Reassurance came from Paul Tesori, his caddie and close friend whose newborn son is in intensive care in a Florida hospital. "Paul sent me a text this morning, just told me he loved me and wanted to go out and fight as hard as I would any other day," Simpson said Sunday after doing just that. Stitched Avalanche Jerseys . 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Christian Horner says Formula One owes its drivers and fans simpler rules as controversy continues to linger over the final laps of the Mexican Grand Prix.Ahead of this weekends Brazilian Grand Prix, Ferrari has asked the FIA to review the post-race penalty handed to Sebastian Vettel in Mexico for moving under braking while defending his position from Daniel Ricciardo. Red Bulls Max Verstappen also incurred a penalty for going off track while defending third from Vettel in the closing stages, though Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg avoided punishment for missing the Turn 2 apex on the opening lap.The controversy from the race prompted FIA race director Charlie Whiting to join Thursdays driver press conference and explain various incidents with the use of TV footage. Horner believes the current rule book needs to be watered down for the good of the spectacle.I think were over regulated in many respects, Horner said. The drivers almost need to take a rule book with them in the car on Sunday, and consult it before they either defend or make an overtaking manoeuvre these days. Theres too much subjectivity and interpretation of different events.So Lewis Hamilton going straight on at the first turn last weekend, comes out half a kilometre up the road, is that an advantage or a disadvantage compared to Max going off and coming back at the same position he came off and with dirty tyres later in the race?Itss very difficult for the drivers and the teams, and one can only think the viewers, as to whats permitted and what isnt.dddddddddddd Like all things in life, keep it simple, keep it straightforward. I would say less rules, but more clarity in terms of what the rules of engagement are.Nobody wants to see dangerous driving but let the drivers race, let them go wheel to wheel. Everybody is talking about the last five or six laps in Mexico because, lets face it, the rest of the race was pretty boring. The last ten laps were fantastic. Of course theres been a whole bunch of discussion about it since then and thats what Formula One needs to be.Horner believes part of the problem is that F1 circuits have been neutered so severely that stewards are having to make too many decisions when drivers make mistakes.Lets avoid the situation where drivers can cut corners and gain an advantage, put gravel trap there, put something to slow the drivers down. Then that takes the subjectivity away from the stewards having to interpret, is that result different to that one, is that incident different to that?We can see so many examples of that I think for the teams, the drivers, and most importantly the fans, lets come up with something thats straightforward and simple thats easy to understand and interpret. ' ' '