Shocking photo of Alex Marquez: controversy erupts after the scare

Alex Marquez has left the hospital after emergency surgery for a fracture of his right collarbone. The Gresini rider was involved in a terrible incident during the MotoGP race in Catalunya, but the swift intervention of the doctors allowed him to return home less than 24 hours after the crash. Now both Marquez brothers are at home recovering, and their presence at Mugello is highly doubtful.

On lap twelve of the Barcelona GP, Alex Marquez was traveling at high speed when Pedro Acosta’s KTM suddenly locked up due to an electrical problem. On the straight of the Murcian track, the Gresini team’s Ducati GP26 crashed violently into the nearly stationary rival bike. The MotoGP runner-up had neither the time nor the space to react or attempt an evasive maneuver, and the impact was severe.

The satellite team’s Desmosedici literally flew into the run-off area, tumbling several times in the gravel along with the rider. The circuit’s medical team arrived quickly to provide assistance and decided to transport him to the hospital immediately. Alex Marquez had suffered several fractures, including one to the C7 vertebra and another to the right collarbone. The surgery was perfectly successful, with the collarbone stabilized by inserting a plate by the medical staff comprising Anna Carreras, David Benito, and Paula Barragan.

Immediately after the incident in Catalunya, an image of the unconscious rider spread across the web, sparking a wave of criticism from fans around the world. The newspaper El Mundo published the news of the crash on its website and social media with a very raw photograph, an extremely explicit close-up. The lack of sensitivity shown in publishing that photo provoked a unanimous outcry of indignation—especially with the MotoGP rider’s condition still uncertain and friends and family experiencing moments of anguish.

The controversy intensified when the Gresini Racing team decided to intervene publicly. The Faenza-based squad posted a screenshot of the newspaper article on its official Twitter account, accompanying it with a clear, direct, and unequivocal message: "Journalism is something entirely different. Next time, show some respect."

El Mundo removed the controversial post from its main social media accounts. However, the photo of the unconscious rider still appears at the top of the article on its website and was also included in the print edition that reached newsstands. Fortunately, Alex Marquez is doing better and posted a photo from his hospital bed, easing fears and calming tempers.

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