Australian rider Shane Rose, a three-time Olympic medalist, suffered a serious fall on Thursday during a cross-country race, compromising his chances of participating in his fourth Olympics in Paris this summer. Rose, one of the stars of Australian equestrianism, silver medalist in team eventing at the Beijing (2008) and Tokyo (2020) Olympic Games and bronze at the Rio Games in 2016, suffers from a concussion cerebral as well as fractures of the femur, pelvis and ribs.
“Shane underwent surgery this morning,” said a statement posted on his Instagram page on Friday, specifying that the 50-year-old rider was in intensive care. “Although the moment is difficult, we hope that he will have sufficient time to recover and be able to continue his preparation program for the Paris Olympic Games,” the statement added.
Rose earned her Olympic qualification at a recent competition in New Zealand. He was able to compete after escaping punishment for wearing a fluorescent orange “mankini” swimsuit — popularized by the film “Borat” — in February during a show jumping event where riders were encouraged to wear disguises. The Australian Equestrian Federation, which believed Rose had breached the riders’ dress code, decided not to sanction him after a wave of popular support and global press headlines.