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Michael Schumacher undergoes tests after injuring head in skiing accident Michael Schumacher undergoes tests after injuring head in skiing accident
(about 5 hours later)
French doctors are carrying out extensive tests on the former world motor racing champion Michael Schumacher, who was airlifted to hospital with head injuries following an off-piste skiing accident in a chic resort in the French Alps on Sunday. Formula One great Michael Schumacher has been undergoing medical tests after being airlifted to hospital in Grenoble with head injuries sustained in an off-piste skiing accident at a chic resort in the French Alps.
French media reported that the seven-time world champion's injuries were not life-threatening. But details on his exact condition were awaited following his transfer to Grenoble hospital where, according to one report, he was said to be suffering from a "severe brain trauma". He was wearing a helmet when he fell on the unmarked slope on Sunday morning. The Grenoble-based newspaper Le Dauphiné Libéré said on Sunday night that according to unnamed sources, the retired world champion's injuries had worsened and were now "life threatening". The report could not immediately be confirmed, but earlier the 44-year-old German was said to be suffering from a "severe brain trauma". Other French media reported that he had suffered a brain haemorrhage.
The head of the Méribel ski resort, where the record-breaking sports legend had been skiing with his 14-year-old son, told Radio Monte Carlo that the 44-year-old German had been evacuated by helicopter after falling and striking his head on a rock at 11.07am local time. It came after a top brain surgeon from Paris, Gérard Saillant, arrived at the hospital to attend to Schumacher, who had been wearing a helmet when he fell on his head on the unmarked slope at the Méribel resort on Sunday morning. Saillant is a family friend who had treated Schumacher following an accident at Silverstone in 1999.
Schumacher's spokeswoman, Sabine Kehm, issued a terse statement confirming the accident and saying that no one else was involved in the fall. A passing skier raised the alarm within minutes of the accident, said Olivier Simonin, director of Méribel Alpina, who is in charge of security and ski lifts at the site. "The skier alerted mountain rescue just a few hundred metres below where he fell," Simonin said.
"Michael fell on his head when he was on a private skiing trip in the French Alps. He was taken to hospital and is receiving professional medical attention. We ask for understanding that we cannot give out continuous information about his health," the statement said. Two rescuers had gone to the scene, where Schumacher had been skiing with his 14-year-old son, and called in two others to help evacuate the injured sportsman, he added. Schumacher remained conscious after the accident.
The Méribel director Christophe Gernignon-Lecomte said rescuers had reached the injured sportsman eight minutes after the accident. "He was in shock, somewhat shaken, but conscious" when he was taken to the nearest hospital at Moûtiers, before being helicoptered to Grenoble, said Gernignon-Lecomte. He also said Schumacher's head injury was not serious, but a resort spokesman said later that the Méribel officials were waiting for a fuller medical report. Simonin said it was not known whether Schumacher hit his head on a rock. "All we know is that he hit his head," he said.
The Dauphiné Libéré newspaper reported after his transfer to Grenoble that Schumacher was suffering from a severe brain trauma but that his injuries were not life-threatening. The hospital specialises in skiing-related accidents. Schumacher's spokeswoman, Sabine Kehm, issued a brief statement confirming the accident and that nobody else was involved. "Michael fell on his head when he was on a private skiing trip in the French Alps. He was taken to hospital and is receiving professional medical attention. We ask for understanding that we cannot give out continuous information about his health," the statement said.
Schumacher was skiing close to one of the resort's most difficult pistes, reserved for the world's most accomplished skiers, when he fell. Méribel, where Schumacher owns a chalet, is one of the top ski resorts in the French Alps. Méribel director Christophe Gernignon-Lecomte told Radio Monte Carlo Schumacher "was in shock, somewhat shaken, but conscious" when he was taken to the nearest hospital, at Moûtiers, before being helicoptered to Grenoble. He also said that Schumacher's head injury was "not serious", but a resort spokesman said later that the Méribel officials were waiting for a fuller medical report.
He was off-piste under la Dent de Burgin, located between the extremely difficult pistes of La Biche and Mauduit, named after former French skiing champion Georges Mauduit. The Dauphiné Libéré, which is generally well informed, reported after his transfer to Grenoble that Schumacher was suffering from a "severe brain trauma" but that his injuries were "not life threatening". But that prognosis changed during the day.
The Méribel spokesman Julien Clatot said the weather was clear and sunny on Sunday, although there was a "very high" risk of avalanches because of heavy snowfall over the past two days. The Grenoble hospital specialises in skiing-related accidents. A small number of Schumacher fans gathered outside the hospital as they waited in vain for news. Olivier Panis, a former Formula 1 driver from Grenoble, was unable to visit Schumacher.
Like other Alpine resorts, Méribel discourages off-piste skiing, which should not be undertaken without a guide. Schumacher was skiing in clear and sunny conditions close to one of the resort's most difficult pistes in the Three Valleys, enjoyed by the world's most accomplished skiers, when he fell. Méribel, where the former champion owns a chalet, is one of the top ski resorts in the French Alps.
Schumacher retired for the final time in 2012 after a three-season Formula One comeback with Mercedes. He was ski-ing off piste between the pistes La Biche and the more difficult runs of Mauduit, named after former French ski-ing champion George Mauduit. The slope, devoid of trees, where he and his son were skiing, is at an altitude of 2,100 metres is close to the luxury resort of Courchevel. The pair were about 20 metres away from the marked slope when Schumacher tumbled, according to Simonin.
Sunday's weather in Méribel was clear and sunny, although resort spokesman Julien Clatot said that there was a "very high" risk of avalanches because of heavy snowfall over the last two days. Like other Alpine resorts, Méribel discourages off-piste skiing, which should not be undertaken without a guide.
Schumacher retired for the final time in 2012 after a three-season Formula One comeback with Mercedes. He was seven times Formula One world champion. His 45th birthday is on Friday.
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