Bronze medalist 2020 Tokyo in men’s 100m butterfly Noé Ponti announced via Instagram that he had tested positive for COVID-19. Ponti recently competed at the 2022 World Championships in Budapest.

“After the adventure of the World Championships in Budapest, I came home very tired on Sunday evening. When I woke up on Monday morning I had a sore throat and some fever. In the end I tested positive for COVID and therefore have to take a forced break from training. But now I’m doing quite well and I’m hoping to get back in the pool soon given the short time until the European Championships in Rome. Let’s all look forward positively…”

Ponti has a tight schedule before the European Championships, which are due to start in Rome in 43 days. This means there isn’t much time to recover. As seen at the World Championships with athletes as Lilly King and Duncan ScottGetting used to high-intensity swimming again after a COVID-19 diagnosis can take some time.

At the 2022 World Championships, Ponti competed in the 50, 100 and 200 butterflies. He finished fourth in 200 butterflies (1:54.29), eighth in 100 butterflies (51.51), and 13th in 50 butterflies (23.29).

Ponti isn’t the only Worlds swimmer to test positive for COVID-19, as a total of at least eight athletes have tested positive through June 23. Among those eight was Australia’s Lani Pallister.

Not many masks were seen in the World Championships arena. FINA’s protocols for COVID-19 stipulated that masks are optional after showing a negative PCR and antigen test on arrival. FINA also did not require isolation for close contacts as long as those close contacts were vaccinated. FINA did not require vaccines for qualification and these rules only apply to eligible individuals such as coaches and athletes. These rules did not apply to spectators.