After fall during competition: Italian gymnast awakens from artificial coma
Italian gymnast Lorenzo Bonicelli suffered a serious fall at the Universiade and was in an artificial coma following cervical spine surgery. He has now woken up and is in stable condition.
A tragic accident overshadows the World University Games (Universiade) in Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia: 23-year-old Italian gymnast Lorenzo Bonicelli suffered a serious fall during a competition on the rings. He is now in "stable condition" and showing "positive signs" after emerging from an induced coma, the Italian Gymnastics Federation announced on Friday.
During his third round of qualifying gymnastics on Wednesday, the athlete lost his balance and fell awkwardly on his neck. He remained motionless on the ground, whereupon medical personnel immediately intervened and transported him to a nearby hospital.
There, Bonicelli underwent cervical spine surgery that same day. Doctors then placed him in an artificial coma to aid the healing process.
"It will be at least ten days before we can say anything more about his condition," Steve Butcher, former president of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), wrote on Facebook on Thursday. "The entire gymnastics family is praying and keeping their fingers crossed for a full recovery."
In response to the accident, the entire Italian gymnastics team withdrew from the competition. Lorenzo Bonicelli is considered one of Italy's brightest young talents. He was a member of the junior national team, with which he won bronze at the 2019 World Championships. He is also Italy's great hope for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
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