An Australian Olympian has had part of his finger amputated in a bid for gold at Paris 2024. Matt Dawson, 30, saw his Olympic hopes thrown into uncertainty after breaking the ring finger on his right hand before the Games.

The hockey player was gearing up for his third Olympics and had set his sights on a gold medal, having won silver at Tokyo 2020.

However, the injury jeopardised his participation in the upcoming event, with doctors suggesting he either immobilise the finger in a cast and wait for it to heal or opt for partial amputation. Dawson chose the latter, undergoing surgery last week ahead of the Australian team’s journey to France for the Olympics.

“I made an informed decision with the plastic surgeon at the time not only for the opportunity to play in Paris but for life after as well,” he told Channel Seven in Australia as he boarded the plane to Paris. “The best option was for me to take the top of my finger off. It’s a bit of a change at the moment and an exciting challenge, I guess.

“I didn’t have much time to make the decision. I had made the decision and then I called my wife, and she said, ‘I don’t want you to make a rash decision,’ but I had all the information I needed to make the decision not just for Paris but for life after. “There are plenty of other issues and other people dealing with bigger things in their lives than losing a finger, so I’m very fortunate that it’s just a little bit of my finger. “Hopefully, I can get back to form fairly quickly.”