Brazilian authorities confirmed on Monday that there were no injuries following a shooting incident near a women’s Under-20 World Cup water polo match between China and Canada in Salvador. China emerged victorious with a score of 12-8 on the tournament’s opening day. Video footage captured the moment when players briefly left the pool and sought cover behind a small barrier upon hearing gunshots outside the water polo venue in the Pituba neighborhood. At the time of the interruption, China was leading Canada 3-2.
According to Marco Antonio Lemos, the head of the Bahia state water sports federation, the match paused for approximately a minute while authorities handled the situation. Police revealed that the shots were fired during a confrontation involving a suspected local thief outside the venue who attempted to flee. Limited information was provided regarding the incident.
Spectators were informed of the disturbance once the game resumed. This marks the first time Brazil is hosting the 16-team tournament.