The virus “still does danni because it continues to circulate in an important way. And where is it sought, unfortunately it is. We are seeing it in sportwith the exclusion of notable athletes since Tour of Italy. But also many concerts are canceled due to the virus, even if it is not always said officially “. This is the position of Walter RicciardiProfessor of Hygiene at the Catholic University of Rome, after the Belgian cyclist withdrew from the Giro d’Italia Remco Evenepoel, world champion and leader of the classification, tested positive for Covid. Other cases among cyclists have emerged in recent days and at the start of today’s tenth stage there was another string of withdrawals. On a completely different position instead Matteo Bassettidirector of infectious diseases at the San Martino Polyclinic in Genoa, who regarding the decision of the organizers to restore theobligation to masks comments: “It seems that the Covid of 2023 does more fear ai cyclists that you don’t have medici“.
In particular the withdrawal of Evenepoel, after having just conquered the pink jersey by winning the Cesena time trial, has sparked quite a few controversies. Your team doctor, the Soudal Quick Step, accuses the organization of the Giro of “negligence and lack of professionalism”. But there are also those who insinuate that Evenepoel raised the white flag too early. Per Ricciardi, interviewed by beraking latest news Salutethe boom in cases at the Giro “was predictable because, as WHO explained, the emergency is over, but not the pandemic“. “If we also tested the population generalwe would have the themselves results of those we are seeing in sport,” he adds. For the expert, therefore, it remains necessary to be vigilant, even with tampons: “It is clear that the pledge will be paid, as is happening in cycling. But it’s better pay this price rather than favor waves of infectionswhich will restart, as probable, in fall“.
Matteo Bassetti, on the other hand, expresses his point of view on Twitter: “By now in Italy” the mask “is no longer a device of protection individual – observes the expert – but a means of protection of organizers of sports competitions. Nothing. You fail to return to normal. Poor Italy”. Instead, the president of the Italian cycling federation takes it directly against Evenepoel, Cordian Dagnoniwhich a LaPresse he says: “If the end of the pandemic has been declared, it must really be over. Today you also enter hospitals without a mask, in Milan I have several examples, and those are more delicate places. AND’ paradoxical that a rider who wins the time trial and wears the pink jersey, therefore is fine, then must be expelled because he is positive”. Evenepoel “had to continuation – claims Dagnoni – in my opinion the value of a race like this is being debased important, now with no more protagonists who would have brought prestige to the Giro. I’m very sorry, I’m really almost surprised from this taken such a strong position. I was hoping first for Ganna, then for Evenepoel”. “If the rider wins – continues the number one of the FCI – he is well and if he is well he must run”.