Having made the cut, Australia’s Matt Dawson said he did not want to miss the Games
Australian field hockey player Matt Dawson has made the decision to undergo a partial finger amputation to ensure his participation in the Paris Olympics, media reported on Friday.
The 30-year-old athlete broke the ring finger on his right hand during pre-Olympic competition, jeopardizing his bid to compete in his third Olympics.
To ensure the injury and healing process wouldn’t hinder his participation, Dawson, a member of the Tokyo Olympics silver-medal winning team, made a significant decision. He opted for surgery to remove the top portion of his finger this week.
“I made an informed decision with the plastic surgeon at the time not only for the opportunity to play in Paris but for life after as well,” Dawson told the Australian 7NEWS media outlet.
“The best option was for me to take the top of my finger off. It’s a bit of a change at the moment and an exciting challenge, I guess,” he added.
The athlete reportedly had limited time to make a decision but said he was “very fortunate” that the amputation was only “just a little bit” of his finger.
Australian national team head coach Colin Batch commended Dawson’s determination to participate in the Games, calling it an incredible display of commitment.
“The best way of recovering from it was to just chop the end of the finger off. So that’s what he decided to do. It’s not something a coach can decide for a player,” he told 7NEWS.
“Full marks to Matt. Obviously he’s really committed to playing in Paris. I’m not sure I would have done it, but he’s done it, so great.”
Dawson has been a member of the Australian men’s field hockey team since 2014, participating with the squad in both the 2016 and 2020 Olympics.
The 2024 Olympic Games will be held in Paris from July 26 to August 11.