Tokyo, Jul 30 (UNI/Xinhua) The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) announced on Friday that triple Olympian basketball player Aron Baynes was ruled out for the remainder of the Olympic competitions due to a neck injury.
Baynes, a member of the Australian men's Olympics basketball team, sustained the injury during a game against Italy in Tokyo, at which he was monitored in a local hospital. He underwent a series of tests and was expected to recover, but not in time to continue this Olympic competition, AOC said.
"I am really disappointed that I can't continue in the Olympics," said Baynes. "I, along with the rest of the team, have been working so hard in our quest for a historic Olympic medal and I am gutted that I can't complete the journey with the boys, but I have every confidence that they will get the job done".
Head Coach Brian Goorjian said that it was unfortunate but he remained confident in the team's chances. Captain Patty Mills echoed the sentiments of Goorjian.
"It's a tough loss for us. His presence on the floor and physical play has been a big part of our identity for so long and that will be missed, but it doesn't change our focus and how we go about our business and what we have come to achieve," said Mills.
The team's next group match is against Germany on Saturday.
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