From lion bite to razor cut, bizarre injuries that have sidelined athletes

David Cooper - Writer 13:14 18/08/2018
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  • Rory McIlroy once injured his leg playing football with friends.

    England batsman Jason Roy was forced to miss Surrey’s crucial Vitality Blast game against Glamorgan on Friday – and he had only himself to blame.

    Roy threw a cricket bat in frustration following his dismissal in Surrey’s midweek victory against Hampshire but did not account for the bat bouncing and hitting him in the face, later calling it a “moment of stupidity”. Here, Press Association looks at other sportsmen who have suffered unusual injuries.

    SCOTT BALDWIN

    Wales hooker Baldwin was forced to miss the Ospreys’ PRO14 defeat against the Cheetahs in September 2017 because of a lion bite. The 29-year-old was absent from the 44-25 loss after receiving a couple of stitches in the wound on his hand at a local hospital in Bloemfontein. He had stroked the caged big cat at a zoo and feared losing his hand.

    QUINTON DE KOCK

    South Africa's Quinton de Kock.

    South Africa’s Quinton de Kock.

    South Africa were forced to make a late SOS the night before their third Test against England in January 2016 after wicketkeeper De Kock slipped and twisted his knee while walking his dog. The injury worsened overnight, prompting a late call-up for Dane Vilas, and while De Kock might want to forget the nature of the injury, South Africa will also want to forget the result after losing by seven wickets, which handed England the series.

    SVEIN GRONDALEN

    Norway defender Grondalen, who played for his country from 1973 to 1984, probably saw nothing wrong when he put on his running shoes and stepped out for a training run. However, while out jogging he collided with a moose and was forced to withdraw from an international as a result.

    RORY McILROY

    McIlroy suffered a “total rupture” of his left ankle nine days before the 2015 Open Championship at St Andrews, forcing him to withdraw. The defending champion posted a picture of himself, via his Instagram account, wearing a protective boot on his left leg after, in his own words, “a soccer kickabout with friends on Saturday”.

    DAVID JAMES

    England's former goalkeeper David James.

    England’s former goalkeeper David James.

    Former England goalkeeper James was never afraid of standing out from the crowd, but he brought himself unwanted headlines when he injured his shoulder while out fishing, causing himself pain when he tried to land a monster carp. Some of James’ injuries were not caused by other sports, though, for he once pulled a muscle in his back when reaching for the television remote control.

    JAMIE DONALDSON

    Ryder Cup star Donaldson suffered a severe finger injury following a mishap with a chainsaw in January 2016. The Welshman, who claimed the decisive point as Europe defeated the United States in September 2014, posted a graphic photo on Twitter of what seemed to be a laceration to the little finger on his left hand. Above the image, he wrote: “So folks in my time off decided to have a fight with a chainsaw and lost! Oops!!”

    MARCO ASENSIO

    The Real Madrid forward missed a Champions League game due to an infection caused by shaving his legs. Boss Zinedine Zidane told reporters ahead of Real’s 3-0 victory over APOEL Nicosia in September 2017 that Asensio would not feature because of a pimple which prevented him from pulling up a sock.

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