Baljit wants second opinion,waits for ministry go-ahead

Doctors at AIIMS say they have no objection to Baljit going abroad. “There is no delay on our part. In fact,we have already sent a ‘Discharge on Request’ note to the sports ministry. Until they respond,we can’t do anything,” said Dr Sudarshan Khokhar,who operated on Baljit. “Psychology plays a big role in recovery. If he feels he can get better treatment abroad,he should definitely go.” Sports minister MS Gill had said after the injury that the government would do everything it could to treat the player.

Adding to Baljit’s frustration is not knowing how soon he will be back on a hockey field. “All I know is that there are some tests being done regularly,” he said. “I spend my days either on the bed or here in the visitors’ room — that is my outing.”

Giving an update on his medical condition,Dr Khokhar said: “At the moment,there is not much we can do. There is still blood accumulated in his eye and lack of eye fluids is making absorption difficult. It is difficult to do retinal surgery at such a stage. He suffered a Grade D Zone III globe rupture,which is the worst kind. We can’t rush anything.”