At least two top Italian swimmers have tested positive for the coronavirus just days after the Italian Open, causing others to quarantine pending test results.
Elena di Liddo and Benedetta Pilato have both announced via Instagram that they’ve tested positive for COVID-19. That’s led to Martina Carraro and Silvia di Pietro, among others, quarantining themselves while awaiting final test results, though both have had early tests come back negative.
According to Italian media, di Liddo was tested at the end of the Italian Open Championships, which ran from Thursday to Saturday (Dec. 17-19) of last week. Di Liddo was scheduled to compete in the Bremen Cup in Rome this week, but has now returned home to quarantine after that test returned a positive for the novel 2019 coronavirus.
That’s also caused a number of her close contacts from the Italian meet to self-quarantine and seek COVID testing themselves. World junior record-holding breaststroker Benedetta Pilato announced via Instagram that she, too, tested positive for COVID-19.
Here’s a translation of her post:
Hi guys, unfortunately I recently tested positive for the COVID-19 swab. Fortunately, I’m fine and trying to rest. I wanted to send you my best wishes for a Merry Christmas, hoping that the situation will settle soon!
Italian media note that Pilato and Carraro were both in close contact with di Liddo, sharing common spaces at the hotel and eating lunch together. Carraro has posted on Instagram that her first test came back negative for COVID, but she remains in isolation as she waits for the results of a second test.
Meanwhile di Pietro has posted that she, too, is in isolation for a close contact. Her first test has also come back negative.
Here’s an excerpt of what di Pietro wrote on social media:
Having first of all concern for my health and that of my loved ones, family and non, and then concern for the imminent preparation, I wonder how it is possible to have been subjected to this risk. How is it possible to be so superficial now?
I am sad that many of my friends have fallen ill and that I will not be able to celebrate Christmas with my parents. However, I’m also angry… all the efforts made in recent months risk becoming useless just because a meal was eaten in the hotel during the races.
The Italian federation required athletes to wear masks within the facility and observe social distancing during the Italian Open Championships. All athletes and coaches were also required to show a negative result on a COVID test within three days of the meet in order to participate.
