Australian hockey star Matthew Dawson didn’t hesitate to undergo the amputation of his right ring finger to secure his spot in the Paris 2024 Olympics. After breaking the finger ahead of the Games, Dawson chose this drastic measure over a cast to ensure he could join the Kookaburras in their quest for glory, mentioned the official Olympics website. The 30-year-old Dawson, who helped his team win silver at Tokyo 2020, is now set to compete in Paris in a week. Australia will face Rio 2016 champions Argentina in their opening match on July 27. Dawson asserted that his decision to amputate was a well-thought-out choice. He explained to 7NEWS, “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. 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 that he didn’t have much time to decide, but made the choice quickly. Afterward, he called his wife to discuss it. She had advised him not to make a hasty decision, but Dawson felt he had all the information necessary to make a choice. Kookaburras coach Colin Batch praised Dawson’s decision as an extraordinary testament to his dedication. Batch said Dawson was already back to training and he definitely raised the bar for anyone dealing with a broken finger in the future. “He’s made that decision and… really committed to playing in Paris,” commented Batch. On the field, Dawson downplayed the severity of his injury. “There are plenty of other issues and other people going on with other stuff in their lives that are bigger than losing a finger, so I’m very fortunate that it’s just a little bit of my finger,” he said. This was not Dawson’s first encounter with a severe injury – six years ago, he nearly lost an eye after being struck by a hockey stick.
