Former German footballer injured in ski accident
A former German international footballer suffered horrific injuries after a shocking ski accident in Austria, reports BritPanorama.
Michael Preetz, 58, who currently serves as chief executive at Duisburg, experienced a heavy fall while descending the slopes at the popular resort of Saalbach-Hinterglemm. The incident resulted in the former Hertha Berlin general manager breaking three ribs.
Medical staff quickly transported Preetz to a hospital where further evaluation revealed he had also suffered a punctured and collapsed lung, necessitating urgent surgical intervention. Following an operation on Friday, surgeons inserted a tube into his lungs to address the damage, which appears to have been successful.
The accident has left Preetz facing a lengthy recovery period away from physical activities, and he has now been placed under an eight-week prohibition from sporting activities as part of his rehabilitation. He expressed cautious optimism about his recovery, stating, “The slope was very icy at one point and I fell violently.”
Describing the aftermath, he noted: “I crashed all over my ribs. It is very painful, especially when coughing and laughing.” Regular breathing exercises are now part of his recovery regimen, with Preetz indicating that he hopes to be discharged soon, suggesting the worst of his treatment may be behind him.
Preetz’s football career began in 1986 with Fortuna Dusseldorf before he played for Saarbrücken, Wattenscheid, and Duisburg. He secured his legacy at Hertha Berlin, where he scored 108 goals in 278 appearances and earned seven caps for Germany, during which he found the net three times. Following his retirement in 2003, Preetz transitioned into football administration, ultimately taking up his current role at Duisburg in 2024.
Sport, much like life, often serves a potent reminder of fragility; how easily one can slip from the heights of competition to the harsh realities of injury.
