Gasol, a two-time Olympic silver medallist and a six-time National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star, announced his decision in an article published in Spanish newspaper Marca.

It came after Jamaican sprinter Kemar Bailey-Cole, gold medallist in the 100 metres at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, has revealed he has contracted the virus.

The 24-year-old, also an Olympic and world 4x100m relay champion, still hopes to take part in Jamaica’s trials for Rio 2016, due to be held on Thursday.

“Recovering is not easy because, as we speak, the rashes are still on my body,” he told the Jamaica Gleaner.

“My eyes hurt, but the best thing is that I am not feeling any muscle pain at the moment.”

Gasol, who is now set to compete in his fourth Olympic Games in the Brazilian city, pressurised organisers into making sure athletes are kept safe during the Games and stressed that Zika remains a “serious issue”.

“My commitment to the national team is greater than my fears over what might happen," Gasol wrote

“My feelings of passion and responsibility toward my national team, my sport and my teammates are huge.

“They have always been and always will be.

“My first instinct in that sense has always been to want to be with the national team each summer.”

A number of golfers have pulled out of the Olympics because of Zika, which has been linked with microcephaly - where babies are born with abnormally small heads, including world number four Rory McIlroy and South Africa’s Branden Grace.

Other competitors, such as Gasol and reigning Olympic heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill, have openly expressed their concerns about the virus.

American cyclist Tejay Van Garderen has also withdrawn over fears he may contract the disease and pass it to his pregnant wife.

“My feelings are bittersweet because of the situation for the athletes who will attend, but the circumstances are what they are," added Gasol.

 "I am hopeful that the health, local and international authorities and the organisations in charge of these Games are sufficiently consistent and responsible with all of those who are willing to compete for their countries.

“As we have seen, there have been more than just a few who have opted not to go, some of them wielding this reason - that of the fear over the Zika virus - while others haven't mentioned it, although there is no doubt that the health situation in Brazil was an indirect factor in their decision."