SPA, BELGIUM - SEPTEMBER 02: In this sequence of ten frames Romain Grosjean of France and Lotus is seen being catapulted into the air as he crashes at the first corner at the start of the Belgian Grand Prix at the Circuit of Spa Francorchamps on September 2, 2012 in Spa Francorchamps, Belgium. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
Two questionable decisions revealed about Michael Schumacher’s life-changing accident
Michael Schumacher’s life took a 180-degree turn on December 29, 2013, when he suffered a serious injury in a tragic accident while skiing in France on a family vacation. Nearly 10 years later, very little is known about the former Formula 1 driver’s state of health.
However, German journalist Jens Gideon, who was one of the first on the scene after Schumacher’s accident, has claimed there were errors of judgment from Schumacher and in the operations of the post-incident rescue team that may have left the racing legend with serious brain injuries.
Gideon presented his research on German radio station ARD, which was later reported by Infobae.
What allegedly influenced Schumacher’s accident and treatment?
The first point the journalist made concerned the questionable decision taken by Schumacher to ski in dangerous off-piste conditions.
Gideon spoke to a local ski instructor, who had worked for some time at the popular Meribel resort where the accident occurred. He was apparently one of the first people to arrive on the scene to come to the seven-time champion’s aid, and he warned him the lack of snow would have made it unsuitable for skiing.
“You don’t go there on a day like that. It was clear there wasn’t enough snow.,” he said, in reference to the fact that there were exposed rocks due the scarcity of snow.
The instructor also pointed out that going off-piste was even riskier: “Even on the slopes there were not ideal conditions for skiing,” he added. “It was very dangerous to venture off-piste on a day like that.”
The second crucial factor that he says influenced the events after the accident was that rescue teams underestimated the seriousness of the situation.
The retired German driver was conscious despite hitting his head on a rock when he fell, and the ski instructor believes that this may have led to an incorrect initial assessment of his injuries.
This meant that Schumacher was taken to a small local hospital in Moutiers, but his condition deteriorated rapidly on the way. Schumacher lost consciousness and had to be intubated, and only after landing was he transferred to the specialized center in Grenoble.
Schumacher family’s plea for privacy
“Schumacher could have been in Grenoble three minutes earlier,” Gideon said, based on what he was told by the instructor.
When he arrived at the medical center, Schumacher underwent two operations and spent six months in a coma. It wasn’t until June 2014 that he finally woke up.
From that moment on, everything has been shrouded in secrecy by Schumacher’s family, who even hired lawyer Felix Damm to protect their right to privacy.
