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Freak injury rules Australian basketballer out of Tokyo Games

Published

3 years ago

July 30, 2021

Olu Emmanuel

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A freak locker room injury has ruled Australian triple Olympian Aron Baynes out for the remainder of the Tokyo Games.

The Australian Olympic Team (AOC) said on Friday that basketballer Baynes had been ruled out for the remainder of the competition due to a neck injury.

Baynes was injured against Italy on Wednesday and compounded matters slipping in the locker room.

“It was a complicated series of events,” Australia’s chief Olympic doctor David Hughes told local media.

“He did suffer an injury during the match on the court, and then he had a slip in the bathroom and suffered further injury.

“It became apparent to the medical staff that this was a bit more serious than just an average injury.”

The 34-year-old Baynes, who plays with the Toronto Raptors in the NBA, said he was “really disappointed that I can’t continue in the Olympics.

“I along with the rest of the team have been working so hard in our quest for an historic Olympic medal and I am gutted that I can’t complete the journey with the boys, but I have every confidence that they will get the job done”.

Team captain Patty Mills said it was a “tough loss” for the team but he had “every confidence in this playing group and our focus will not waiver as we strive for that Olympic gold medal.”

The Boomers’ next pool game is against Germany on Saturday, having previously defeated Italy and Nigeria.