In a shocking turn of events, Serbian forward Borisa Simanic lost one of his kidneys following an injury sustained during a FIBA World Cup game against South Sudan. The Serbian Basketball Federation made this distressing announcement on Monday, revealing the severe consequences of the incident.
The team disclosed that Simanic had undergone two surgeries in Manila due to the injury. Unfortunately, complications arose after the initial surgery, leading to the necessity of a second procedure on Sunday, during which Simanic’s kidney had to be removed.
Despite this unfortunate turn of events, Serbia is preparing to face Lithuania in a World Cup quarterfinal game on Tuesday, though the team is grappling with the emotional impact of Simanic’s injury.
“It was really tough for us when we heard what happened,” expressed Serbia forward Nikola Milutinov during a team practice on Monday. “First, we didn’t believe it was such a bad thing. It’s really affected us. We’re really praying for him that he’s going to be good as soon as possible.”
The incident occurred with just two minutes left in Serbia’s Wednesday victory over South Sudan when Simanic suffered the injury following an elbow from opponent Nuni Omot. Simanic’s visible pain and cries were distressing for both his teammates and spectators.
Omot clarified that he did not intend to harm Simanic, and Milutinov emphasized the emotional toll it has taken on the Serbian squad. “We didn’t sleep after that game. We were trying to find blood for him because he was losing a lot of blood,” Milutinov recounted. “It was really a tough moment for everybody. I hope this will never happen to anybody in the world.”
As Simanic continues to receive treatment in a Manila hospital, the team remains uncertain about when he will be released. Simanic had participated in three World Cup games, contributing from the bench with a total of 20 minutes of play and three points scored. The incident serves as a poignant reminder of the physical risks involved in high-level sports competition.
