On Sunday in Salvador, Brazil, during an under-20 women’s water polo World Cup match between China and Canada, gunfire briefly interrupted the game, but no injuries were recorded.
While China led 32 in the first period, the event occurred on the opening day of the tournament. Footage showed players hearing gunshots outside the venue in the neighborhood of Pituba, getting out of the pool, and sheltering behind a barrier.
Brazilian police claim the gunfire resulted from a confrontation with an alleged thief trying to flee nearby. The game came to a halt for around a minute. Marco Antonio Lemos, president of Bahia’s state water sports federation, said, “Our crew saw the police tending to it.”
After around a minute, China went on to win 128, and playing started again. Spectators were only notified of the circumstances following the game’s completion.
The 16-team competition is the first time being held by Brazil.
