Why elite athletes often get ill

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Elite athletes are particularly vulnerable to common infections during intensive training and competitions - and any illness means time off training and, potentially, the difference between winning and losing an Olympic medal. Dr Anita Biswas, senior sports physician at the English Institute of Sport, explains why they get sick more often than ordinary people and how she helps them avoid infections. Photo: Michael Johnson (L) and Maurice Greene (R) of the US make the turn in the Men's 200 meters semi-finals (Photo credit Mike Nelson/AFP/Getty Images)