M A I N   N E W S

Thakur recovering, says IOA
Prabhjot Singh
Tribune News Service

Athens, August 22
Indian hockey player Deepak Thakur, who was admitted to an intensive care unit of a cardiac centre here last night after he complained of breathlessness and severe chest pain, is “absolutely fine” and recuperating in a general hospital, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) said here this afternoon.

All tests conducted on him during his treatment at the ICU were normal and there was no indication of any “heart problem”.

Talking to The Tribune, Hardeep Singh Dhillon, manager of the hockey team, said doctors were convinced that it was a “muscular pain” as electrocardiograms (ECGs), repeated cardiac enzyme tests and EFG traction tests conducted on Thakur confirmed that his heart was healthy and there was no area of concern.

Doctors have shifted him to the general ward and will keep him under observation for 72 hours as a precautionary measure, Dhillon said.

Last night, Deepak talked to his parents in Himachal Pradesh and was keen to play tomorrow’s last league match against Argentina.

“But since we do not want to take any chances, we will go by medical advice and keep him in the hospital as long as doctors want him there,” said Dhillon, holding that Xalco Williams, who fractured his thumb in the game against New Zealand yesterday, was also a doubtful starter for tomorrow’s game.

More Olympic stories on Sports page