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Greg Louganis -

Widely recognized as the greatest American diver ever, Greg Louganis is known for many things, not least the rare accident he suffered at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

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Greg Louganis -

During the preliminary rounds, Louganis hit his head on the spring board and suffered a concussion. He continued to compete after having the injury stitched at the sidelines.

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Monica Seles -

On April 30, 1993, rising tennis star Monica Seles fell victim to the most horrific shock in the game's history. While on court, she was stabbed in the back by an obsessed fan of her rival, Steffi Graf.

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Monica Seles -

Seles did not return to the game for over two years after the stabbing, and even when she did, she was never able to play at the same level.

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Lindsey Vonn -

During the 2019 season, pro skier Lindsey Vonn suffered a dramatic accident while competing. She hit a gate midair and crashed into the nets.

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Lindsey Vonn -

Ironically, the crash occurred just days after the Olympic gold medalist announced that she would be retiring from the sport due to devastating injuries.

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Diego Maradona -

It was during his second season for Barcelona that the Argentine legend suffered an awful challenge from behind that sparked controversy over the cruelty of the Spanish game.

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Maradona -

Maradona was left unable to walk and was removed from the pitch on a stretcher. It later transpired that one of his internal ligaments had ruptured.

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Ayrton Senna -

Brazilian F1 driver Ayrton Senna, who is widely considered one of the greatest drivers in the history of the sport, died in an accident in the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.

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Ayrton Senna -

Senna crashed into the concrete retaining wall while turning a corner, and he died almost instantly after suffering skull fractures, brain injuries, and a ruptured temporal artery.

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Niki Lauda -

Niki Lauda was another F1 driver seriously injured during a race. During the 1976 German Grand Prix, he crashed his Ferrari 312T2 and it burst into flames.

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Niki Lauda -

Lauda inhaled toxic fumes and suffered severe burns, but he ultimately survived and recovered quickly enough that he was able to race just six weeks later.

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David Busst -

Former soccer player David Busst suffered a career ending injury in 1996 while playing for Coventry City. He collided with Denis Irwin and Brian McClair of Manchester United during a set piece.

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David Busst -

The defender suffered fractures to both tibia and fibula in his right leg. The broken leg required 26 operations to fix, and Busst had to retire from the sport just months later.

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James Blake -

Former pro tennis player James Blake had a tough year in 2004. First, he slipped in training and broke his neck as he collided with the net post.

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James Blake -

Ultimately he was able to recover from the injury in full, but not before he developed shingles, which temporarily paralyzed half his face and blurred his vision.

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Alan Smith -

In 2022, former Manchester United player Alan Smith told The Sun that he still struggles to walk after a free kick from Liverpool defender John Arne Riise broke his leg in 2006.

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Alan Smith -

The injury was not career ending for Smith; after a time he was able to return to the game. He quickly moved down the leagues, however, as he was not able to compete at the same level.

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Ray Chapman -

On a fateful day in 1920, Ray Chapman, shortstop for the Cleveland Indians, was struck in the head by a pitch thrown by Carl Mays. He was rushed to hospital but died 12 hours later.

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Ray Chapman -

Chapman was only 28 years old when he suffered this tragic fate. To this day, he is the only player ever to have died directly from an injury sustained during a major league game.

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Michael Watson -

Former professional boxer Michael Watson had his career cut short when he suffered life-changing injuries during a fight against Chris Eubank in 1991.

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Michael Watson -

Watson fell backwards and hit his head on the ropes after an upper cut from Eubank. He was in a coma for 40 days and had to undergo six brain operations to remove a blood cot.

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Terry Butcher -

During a World Cup qualifier against Sweden in 1989, England defender Terry Butcher suffered a deep cut to the head early in the game. He was stitched up on the sidelines and played on.

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Terry Butcher -

Of course, as a defender, his continuous heading of the ball caused the stitches to come apart, leaving him with a shirt covered in blood by the end of the game.

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Samir Ait Said -

A horrific accident in more recent years was a the Rio Olympics in 2016, when French gymnast Samir Ait Said landed his vault in such a way that he broke his tibia and fibula.

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Samir Ait Said -

He was unable to compete in the rest of that competition, of course, but he underwent a successful surgery on the night of the injury and was able to return to his sport.

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Jessica Dube -

In February 2007, while competing at the Four Continents Championships in Colorado Springs, figure skater Jessica Dube was struck in the face by her partner's skate.

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Jessica Dube -

Her face was cut from nose to ear, and she was rushed to hospital, where she received 83 stitches. She and her partner Bryce Davison were back in competition by March 2007.

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Frank Gifford -

In 1960, the New York Giants halfback and flanker was knocked unconscious during a tackle by Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Chuck Bednarik.

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Frank Gifford -

He was stretchered off the field and fellow players feared for his life. Ultimately he returned to the game, although not until six months later.

See also: The ways humans evolved to become athletes

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