T4F implements action plan after Swift fan’s death

South American promoter Time for Fun (T4F) has implemented a spate of changes for Taylor Swift’s final Eras concerts in Rio de Janeiro following the death of a 23-year-old fan who fell ill while attending the singer’s show.

According to local media, Ana Clara Benevides Machado fainted during Swift’s performance at Estádio Nilton Santos on Friday in the midst of Brazil’s record-breaking heatwave. She was rushed to hospital, where she died after suffering a reported cardiac arrest.

“It’s with great sadness that we inform you about the death of Ana Clara Benevides Machado aged 23,” said T4F on social media. “Ana Clara felt unwell and was assisted by a team of emergency workers and paramedics, being taken to a medical centre at Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium so the first aid protocol could be applied.

“Given the situation, the medical team opted to transfer her to Salgado Filho Hospital. After nearly an hour of emergency assistance, she regrettably died. We send our most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Ana Clara Benevides.”

Temperatures reached 39.1 C in Rio on Friday, while Fortune reports that apparent temperature – a combination of temperature and humidity — hit 59 C that morning, the highest index ever recorded in the city.

T4F has been criticised by concert-goers and politicians in the wake of the tragedy as fans were banned from bringing their own water bottles into the venue. However, the promoter insisted yesterday that it had no say in the matter due to “a requirement made by public bodies”, and confirmed it was enforcing a special action plan for Swift’s remaining gigs on 19-20 November.

“The prohibition of bottles of water entering stadiums is a requirement made by public bodies”

“Given the forecast of an increase in the heat wave in the city of Rio de Janeiro, we inform you that we are reinforcing the special action plan carried out for the first day of the show, especially the provision of free water in the queues and at all accesses and entrances to the stadium and inside,” the firm told ticket-holders.

“New free water distribution points will be available to the public during the event. Entry to the stadium with sealed glasses of water and sealed processed food will also be permitted, with no limitation on items per person. We also emphasise that the prohibition of bottles of water entering stadiums is a requirement made by public bodies and that we do not sell drinks and food, this being a responsibility of the stadium administration.”

T4F said “about 200” extra employees would be added to the 1,230 staff already working on the dates for the last two shows, in addition to an enhanced emergency service presence.

“The medical care structure was reinforced, totalling eight available medical stations, eight ambulances and eight mobile ICUs,” it concluded.

Swift postponed her scheduled Saturday concert (20 November) to tonight as a result of the “extreme temperatures” and returned to the stage last night for her second of three nights at the 70,000-cap stadium. She will wrap up Eras‘ Brazilian leg this weekend with three concerts in São Paulo’s Allianz Parque from 24-26 November.

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