Meet the Olympian who has amputated his FINGER so he can take part in the Paris Games
- Matthew Dawson has his finger amputated so he can go to the Olympics
- He made the decision with the rest of his life in mind, he says
- Dawson, 30, has already represented Australia twice at the Olympic Games
Olympic athlete Matthew Dawson has revealed why he made the incredible decision to have part of his finger amputated so he could compete in Paris this month.
Dawson, a veteran of the Australian men’s team, broke the ring finger on his right hand a few weeks before the match in France.
Rather than wear a cast, the two-time Olympian decided to have the affected part of his finger permanently removed.
However, he stressed that the conversation was as much about life after the Olympics as it was about life with the Games in mind.
βI made a well-considered decision with the plastic surgeon at the time, not only for the chance to play in Paris, but also for life afterwards,β he told 7NEWS via The West.
“The best option was to cut off the tip of my finger. It’s a bit of a change at the moment and an exciting challenge, I think.
‘There are plenty of other issues and people dealing with other things in their lives that are bigger than losing a finger, so I’m just glad it’s only a small piece of my finger.
βIt would have been a different and difficult conversation if it had been a little more extensive, I think.
Matthew Dawson has revealed why he chose to amputate part of his palate
He made the decision to compete for Australia in Paris this month
“I didn’t have much time to make a decision. I had made the decision and then I called my wife and she said, ‘I don’t want you to make a hasty decision, but I had all the information I needed to make the decision, not for Paris, but for life after.’
‘Hopefully it won’t take too long before I’m back in shape.’
Dawson is a seasoned fighter when it comes to serious injuries.
In 2018, the 30-year-old nearly lost an eye after being hit with a stick.
Australian national coach Colin Batch praised Dawson for his enthusiasm and dedication to the cause.
βIt was a nasty blow,β he said.
‘He went to the specialist and he could have put him in a cast, but the best way to recover from it was to cut off the tip of his finger. That’s what he decided to do.
‘He decided to do that and is now back in training.
‘He’s certainly set the bar high for anyone who gets a broken finger in the future, but I give Matt all the credit; he’s made that decision himself and is clearly determined to play in Paris.’