Champion swimmer in coma after fall

photo - PAP/EPA/Grzegorz Michałowski

Mateusz Matczak, who won a series of gold medals for Poland in the European Junior World Championships, was taken to hospital in the early hours of Sunday morning in Lodz, central Poland.

The 23-year-old is currently in a medically induced coma, and doctors have stated that it is unclear at present whether the swimmer will be left in the coma for a further two or three days.

However, doctors at the hospital have played down reports that the swimmer was attacked.

“From what we have seen, it's very likely that the patient was not beaten up, but just hit by a car,” Professor Wojciech Gaszynski told the Gazeta Wyborcza daily.

It has been confirmed that Matczak was not robbed. However, although doctors have not clarified the matter, it appears that he was heavily intoxicated.

Matczak's former coach, Pawel Slominski, has revealed that the champion was due to fight for a place in the Polish Olympic team next month.

However, according to Slominski, in recent weeks Matczak withdrew from the qualifications, without offering any explanation, in spite of high hopes for the young swimmer.

The champion's most recent Polish record was made in Belgrade in 2009, in the 400m medley. (nh/pg)