The America's Cup is upon us, but Bagnoli is still plagued by decay: dirty waters and trash among swimmers.

Naples – The script seems to repeat itself endlessly on the public beach of Bagnoli, where the beauty of the coastline continues to clash with the usual waste crisis. Just a few weeks ago, the municipal beach was at the center of a media storm: open to the public, quickly closed after a citizen's viral complaint, and then finally cleaned up and reopened. Today, however, the situation is back to square one.

Swimmers splash around in the water surrounded by garbage, abandoned bags, and widespread degradation. A double responsibility weighing on two very distinct fronts:

Failed civic duty: The incivility of "charlatans" and ill-mannered people who continue to treat the sea and the land like an open-air landfill, abandoning rubbish at all hours.

Lack of services: The absence or scarcity of waste containers and the lack of continuous and timely cleaning interventions by the municipal administration.

The unequal treatment has sparked protests from residents: why do other municipal beaches—such as the famous “Mappatella Beach” in Mergellina (Lido Diritto alla Salute)—seem to be consistently managed and cleaned, while Bagnoli is left to its own devices?

The issue takes on even greater political and image-related weight when we look at the calendar. In a few weeks, the Phlegraean Fields and the city of Naples will be under the global spotlight for the America's Cup regattas. The contrast between this major international event and the daily disrepair of the public beach risks becoming the city's worst calling card.

The video was shared by a citizen and reposted by Michele Onorato of the Afida Association.