A 36-year-old Australian basketball player, Ben Griscti, has been injured after a backboard collapsed during a practice session in Canberra. The accident occurred during a team shootaround at the Australian Institute of Sport Arena, resulting in a fractured vertebra. Griscti is recovering and has returned home for further medical advice, with no set timeline for his return to play.
According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, a hospital was located within a five-minute car trip from the arena, but it took roughly 90 minutes for an ambulance to arrive. There were a number of other emergencies in the territory at the time of that call, an ACT Ambulance Service official told the outlet. The service dispatched a paramedic crew to the patient, who attended to him before the emergency response vehicle arrived at the arena.
Officials stated that Griscti was conscious, alert, and breathing before and during the hospital transport. The team doctor attended to him before the ambulance arrived. The injury is not expected to require surgery, the team said. Griscti has returned home since sustaining the back fracture. There is currently no timetable for Griscti’s return to the hardwood.
However, Griscti noted via an NBL social media account that he intends to be back soon. He also expressed gratitude for the messages of support. The NBL released a statement, saying in part that the league was deeply saddened after learning of Griscti’s injury.