Nicaraguan boxers compete in front of spectators despite COVID-19 pandemic threat

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Updated

SHOWS:

MANAGUA, NICARAGUA (APRIL 25, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

1. NICARAGUAN BOXER ARRIVING AT ALEXIS ARGUELLO SPORTS COMPLEX

2. PEOPLE WEARING FACE MASKS AND WATCHING A BOXING MATCH

3. BOXER CLIMBING INTO THE RING

4. PEOPLE WEARING FACE MASKS AND WATCHING A BOXING MATCH

5. BOXER IN THE RING

6. PEOPLE WATCHING A BOXING MATCH

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BOXING FAN, OSMAN LOPEZ, SAYING:

"At the entrance they gave us face masks, then they clean your shoes and wash your hands and check the temperature of the assistants. I think they're controlling this situation so we don't get it (COVID-19)"

8. WOMAN CLEANING HER SHOES IN A CONTAINER WITH DISINFECTANT LIQUID BEFORE ENTERING THE STADIUM

9. VARIOUS OF HEALTH WORKERS CHECKING TEMPERATURE OF ATTENDEES

10. MAN CLEANING HIS HANDS WITH ALCOHOL GEL

11. PEOPLE IN LINE WAITING TO ENTER THE STADIUM

12. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DOCTOR, LUIS PEREZ, SAYING:

"We should not be afraid, we have to feel confident that the measures we are taking, such as hand washing, keeping distance between people will ensure that we will be healthy."

13. PEOPLE WEARING FACE MASKS AND LOOKING ON THE BOXING MATCH

MANAGUA, NICARAGUA (APRIL 25, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) (MUTE)

14. VARIOUS STILL PICTURES OF BOXING MATCH

MANAGUA, NICARAGUA (APRIL 25, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

15. REFEREE ANNOUNCING THE WINNER OF A BOXING MATCH

STORY: Boxing events around the world have been postponed or cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but not in Nicaragua, where an eight-fight card took place in front of spectators in Managua on Saturday (April 25), defying the pandemic.

On an unusual evening, 16 professional Nicaraguan boxers climbed into the ring in the Alexis Arguello Sports Complex, one of the capital's major stadiums.

Organisers took measures to combat the spread of the highly infectious novel coronavirus. At the entrance to the stadium, health workers checked the temperature of the attendees, disinfected their hands and shoes and handed out face masks. The spectators were also seated apart from each other around the ring.

The government of President Daniel Ortega has not implemented social distancing measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 and is one of the few nations in the world where sporting activity with spectators in the stands has not stopped, including baseball and soccer.

So far Nicaragua has 11 cases of the novel coronavirus and three deaths, according to the World Health Organization.

(Production: Arnaldo Arita, Manuel Carrillo)