In more injury news from the Winter Olympics, Aussie veteran SBX snowboarder and Olympian, Cam Bolton, has sustained a serious injury during a fall on course in training on Monday this week.
The Australian Olympic Committee released a statement today, Tuesday local time, that the team medical staff had initially responded to head, neck and shoulder symptoms. However by Tuesday Bolton reported worsening neck pain and a CT scan revealed two stable neck fractures.
Bolton has been moved to Milan by helicopter to access more extensive resources and assessments. The Australian Olympic Committee are making plans to help his wife be in Milan as well.
“I think he knows how serious we are taking, the process of support and communication has been good, he’s been communicating with is family and wife,” said the team’s Chef de Mission, Alisa Camplin.
“Unfortunately with winter sport injuries happen along the way, 53 athletes doing releatively high risk sports, it’s not that unusual I’m afraid to say.
“We have a duty of care to the team while respecting the medical privacy of the individual, so a lot of that is athlete led. Cam wanted to make sure his teammates understood what was happening and that he was fine and being looked after well.”
The Late Athlete Replacement option has been enacted and debutant James Johnstone will join the team alongside Adam Lambert and Jarryd Hughes in the men’s Snowboard Cross qualifying on Thursday 12 February.
*feature image: Cam Bolton at training. Photo AOC.
