Virtus Bologna, the shock announcement: "Polonara has myeloid leukemia"

In recent weeks, basketball player Achille Polonara , a 33-year-old player for Virtus Bologna, has undergone specialist medical tests "following which a diagnosis of myeloid leukemia was formulated". The Bologna basketball club announced the news, explaining that Polonara is now hospitalized at the Sant'Orsola Malpighi Hospital where he has already begun specific therapies. "The entire Virtus Segafredo Bologna family is close to Achille and his loved ones and wishes the boy a speedy recovery. Forza Achi, we are all with you, we are waiting for you!", reads the official statement.

The number 33 of the Black Shirts and the National team had missed the last matches of the championship finals against Brescia, initially due to mononucleosis. The last match at the Segafredo Arena, which was worth 2-0 for Bologna, had seen Will Clyburn, also not deployed due to physical problems, wear the number 33 jersey of Polonara.

In the past he had been diagnosed with testicular cancer, discovered thanks to an anti-doping test carried out after the Super Cup final in Brescia, which the player had managed to overcome with an operation, also returning to play with the captain's armband in February 2024 against Hungary and a return to normality now abruptly interrupted by this diagnosis.

The team will take to the field tomorrow night in Brescia also with the hope of dedicating the Scudetto milestone to Polonara, who in his career has never managed to win the title despite several finals played with Reggio Emilia, Sassari and Bologna itself. Polonara is married to Erika and has two children, Vitoria and Achille Jr.