The International Swimming Federation (FINA) announced this Thursday that it will review the current regulations that prevent the intervention of lifeguards without a signal from the referee, after they did not react in time on Wednesday to assist the American swimmer Anita Álvarez, who passed out and was rescued by the rapid intervention of the Spanish coach Andrew Fuentes.
In a statement, the FINE revealed that the contract lifeguards to work at the world swimming championships they can only come into action after authorization from the refereeswhich is why Fuentes was faster than them.
The incident occurred on Wednesday’s day at the Budapest World Cups, when the American swimmer Anita Alvarez fainted at the end of his exercise in the artistic swimming free solo final. scare.
After signaling to the lifeguards without them reacting, the coach jumped into the pool to rescue her pupil. Later, he declared that the lifeguards had been paralyzed.
“According to the regulations, (the lifeguards) can only jump into the pool after receiving a signal from the referees,” said the director of the World Cup health service, Bela Merkelyin the note.
It is a restriction imposed to avoid interruptions of the competition programs “in case of a possible misunderstanding,” he explained.
Merkely admitted that the referees reacted too late.
