Australian field hockey player amputates part of his finger to not miss the Olympic Games

Australian field hockey player Matthew Dawson faced a difficult decision after suffering an injury just weeks before he was due to take part in this summer’s Olympic Games.

The 30-year-old didn’t hesitate too long, opting to have part of his finger amputated in order to be able to participate with his team at the Games that start next week in Paris.

Dawson committed to the Kookaburras

Dawson broke the ring finger on his right hand while training for the Games and doctors gave him the choice between resting, which would allowed the fracture to heal, or lopping off the tip of the finger.

“I didn’t have much time to make a decision,” the defender declared to the Australian network 7News before traveling with the team to France. “I made the decision, I called my wife and she told me: ‘I don’t want you to make a hasty decision.’ But I think I had all the information I needed to make a decision - not only to play in Paris, but for life after and to give myself the best health,” he added.

Kookaburras coach Colin Batch was impressed by his player's decision. “The best way to recover was to just cut off the end of his finger, so that's what he decided to do. It is not something that a coach can decide for a player. All the credit goes to Matt, it is clear that he wants to play in Paris. "I'm not sure I would have done it, but he has done it, so great," he said.

Dawson was part of the Australian team that won the silver medal at the Tokyo Games three years ago. He also played in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, where Australia finished sixth and two years later suffered an eye injury that threatened his sight, but from which he recovered after sugery.