Chilean Lawmaker Critiques Lack of Support for Francisco Benavides, Skyrunning Athlete, During Health Emergency in Spain

Original article: Diputado Cristián Tapia cuestiona falta de apoyo a Francisco Benavides, seleccionado chileno de skyrunning, tras emergencia en España

Chilean lawmaker Cristián Tapia expressed his concern regarding the situation of Vallenar athlete and national skyrunning team member, Francisco Benavides (pictured), who faced a health emergency while competing in an international event in Spain.

The parliamentarian learned of the incident on September 24th from residents of Vallenar, who informed him that the athlete had been transported unconscious to a hospital in Tenerife after experiencing complications before reaching the finish line.

Following this revelation, Tapia reached out to the Ministry of Sport and the Chilean ambassador in Spain, José Antonio Coloma, both of whom were unaware of the athlete’s condition.

«It is very disappointing what has happened. Francisco was representing our country in an international competition, yet no one had any information regarding his situation. The federation responsible for these events practically abandoned this national athlete. I believe this is a disrespectful situation,» remarked the deputy.

The lawmaker noted that Francisco Benavides has shown positive signs of recovery, regaining consciousness and being discharged from the hospital on Monday, as he approaches his return to Chile to reunite with his family.

Additionally, he mentioned that efforts are being made with the Ministry of Sport and the Chilean consulate in Spain to address the costs associated with his hospitalization and recovery that are not covered by available insurance.

«What matters now is that Francisco is doing better and will soon return to Chile. However, what happened cannot be forgotten. We need to investigate what occurred because when an athlete represents Chile abroad, they must have the corresponding support and backup,» emphasized Tapia.

Finally, the deputy asserted that this situation must serve as a learning opportunity to reassess existing protocols and ensure that national athletes have support and protection in the event of health emergencies during international competitions: «The health of our athletes must always come first,» he concluded.