A war of words has erupted at the swimming world championships after artistic swimmer Anita Alvarez was banned from competition.
The 25-year-old was dramatically rescued from the bottom of the pool in Budapest after fainting. She is reported to have gone more than two minutes without breathing.
The American hadjust hours earlier indicated she wanted to return to the pool to compete in the team event on Saturday morning — but her comeback was shut down on the spot by swimming's governing body FINA.
Fans and teammates react as Anita Alvarez is rescued from the pool. Photo / AP
Her coach Andrea Fuentes, who has been labelled a hero for her quick-action in leaping into the pool to save Alvarez, said before the finals of the team event that Alvarez "would almost certainly compete".
The American team's medical staff cleared Alvarez to compete, but FINA overruled.
"That was a decision FINA had made," said Selina Shah, US artistic swimming's team doctor.
"In my opinion she could have competed, I am very confident," Shah said.
This is one of the most powerful photos I’ve seen in a long time. It embodies the true human spirit of love and sacrifice. It also reminds me that we all need “rescuing” from time to time. Glad Anita Alvarez is okay and thankful to Andrea Fuentes for her act of selflessness. pic.twitter.com/ijE0ya55r5
FINA said it had organised a medical examination on Friday morning that included three representatives of its medical committee, its executive director, Dr. Shah and US team officials.
"Following these discussions, FINA determined that Anita Alvarez should not compete today," FINA said in a statement.
"The health and safety of athletes must always come first. While FINA understands why this decision will have been disappointing to the athlete, it was a decision that was made with her best interests in mind.
The governing body said it was "delighted" that Alvarez had made "such a strong recovery" and looked forward to seeing her in competition again soon.
Shah said she did not know how FINA had reached its conclusion that Alvarez should not compete.
Anita Alvarez is stretchered from the pool by medics at the FINA World Championships. Photo / Getty
"I'm not aware of their decision making process."
Fuentez's earlier comment showed just how stunned the team was by FINA's ruling.
"She doesn't want to leave here with the photo of her unconscious at the bottom of the pool," Fuentez said of Alvarez.
"In any case in the team events Anita does a lot of pirouettes and very few apneas so she will almost certainly compete."
Alvarez had been entered in the team event on Friday and was on every official startlist until just before the event was scheduled to begin when she was replaced on the eight-woman team by Yujin Chang.
The USA eventually finished ninth out of 12 teams with China taking out the gold ahead of Ukraine.
