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18th Aug 2016

Sky Sports presenter Charlie Webster in a coma after contracting malaria in Rio

Alan Loughnane

Sky Sports presenter Charlie Webster has been admitted to hospital after contracting a rare strain of malaria while in Rio de Janeiro.

According to the Sun, she remains on life support in a coma in the hospital in Brazil while doctors from Britain are being consulted about her treatment.

She fell ill on August 6, and was admitted to hospital for what was thought to be severe dehydration but that has since been diagnosed as a severe complication to the infection.

Her family are said to have flown out to be by her side.

“Charlie is battling for survival at the moment – everyone is distraught”, said a friend of the Webster’s to the newspaper.

“But she is so strong and a very fit and healthy person in general so we have to keep positive.”

She was in Rio as one of the official presenters for Team GB.

Webster had cycled to the Olympics over the last last six weeks to raise money for cancer charities.

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