Murali Sreeshankar flown to London for urgent surgery, government to cover cost

Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar is set to undergo ligament reconstruction surgery on his right ankle in London on Tuesday, weeks after sustaining an injury during the men's long jump final at the Asian Games 2026. Union Minister of State Suresh Gopi announced on Monday that the central government would bear the entire cost of the procedure and fund the athlete's treatment and rehabilitation.The development comes after the 27-year-old had initially indicated that his ankle was not seriously injured and could recover with rest and rehabilitation. The surgery is scheduled for October 13 at the Fortius Clinic in London, under the supervision of sports orthopaedic surgeon Pieter D'Hooghe.In a Facebook post on Monday, Gopi said the government was ensuring that Sreeshankar received the best possible medical treatment and rehabilitation to help him return to competition and prepare for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Courtesy: Reuters HOW SREESHANKAR INJURED HIS ANKLESreeshankar injured his right ankle during the men's long jump final at the Asian Games in Nagoya on September 28. Competing on a rain-soaked track, the Indian slipped on the take-off board while preparing for his fourth attempt and twisted his ankle. He winced in pain and was unable to take his final two jumps. However, the injury did not prevent him from securing a silver medal, as his second-round effort of 8.07m proved sufficient to finish second.China's Shi Yuhao won gold with a jump of 8.17m, while Uzbekistan's Anvar Anvarov claimed bronze with an effort of 8.06m. The initial assessment had offered hope that Sreeshankar would recover without surgery. Speaking to PTI after the competition, his father and coach, S Murali, said the injury was not serious and that proper rehabilitation and rest would help his son recover."It (Sreeshankar's injury) is not a serious one. It will be OK with proper rehabilitation and rest. Moreover, the season is over and there is no competition left," Murali had said.He also spoke about the physical toll of a demanding season, during which the family had travelled extensively for training and competitions. The immediate priority, he indicated, was to determine where Sreeshankar would undergo rehabilitation, with Doha among the options because the athlete had undergone successful knee surgery there in 2024. Courtesy: Reuters CENTRE TO FUND ENTIRE COST OF SURGERYAnnouncing the government's support, Gopi said the Centre had taken responsibility for the entire cost of Sreeshankar's surgery, along with ensuring the necessary treatment and rehabilitation for his return to competition.Gopi also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya for facilitating the funding and support required for the athlete's treatment. He expressed hope that Sreeshankar would recover well and return to competition with the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles in sight.The development comes days after Sreeshankar expressed disappointment over the lack of contact from ministers in Kerala following his silver-medal finish at the Asian Games. The long jumper had said that no ministers from the state had contacted him after his achievement and had voiced his disappointment over the lack of support from the state government.- Ends