“Anita is fine, she’s in bed resting. After what happened yesterday, all medical checks gave a favorable outcome. We were very scared because she went without breathing for two minutes. She is determined to compete tomorrow, she says she is in the center but we have to wait for the doctors’ opinion “: Andrea Fuentes, Spanish coach of the US synchronized swimming team, tells the Mundo Deportivo, from Budapest, what happened yesterday when the synchronized Anita Alvarez he fell ill at the end of his exercise and fainted in the water. Providential and timely intervention by Fuentes who dived to help her athlete. “I dived and tried to reach her as fast as possible,” she added.
The rescue of the synchronized fainted in the water: the coach dives and saves her
Meanwhile, today the international Federnuoto (Fina) announced that it will review the current regulations that prevent the intervention of lifeguards without a signal from the referee. In a statement, Fina revealed that assistants hired to work at the swimming world championships can only get into action after the referees’ authorization, which is why Fuentes was faster than them. “According to the rules, (lifeguards) can jump into the pool only after receiving a signal from the referee corps,” said the director of the world health service, Béla Merkely, who admitted yesterday the referees did not react immediately.
Panic at the World Swimming Championships, a synchronizer passes out in the water. Saved by the coach
Giulia Zonca
