Bielecki remains determined

One week after his severe eye injury during a friendly game against Croatia, the diagnosis is terrible for Karol Bielecki: the Polish international, playing for Rhein Neckar Löwen, will remain blind in his left eye.

After two operations - one in Poland, one in Germany - Bielecki left the specialist eye hospital in Tübingen. “We have to wait and see, what’s going on with his eye,” specialist Dr. Thomas Katlun said. “But with the last examination we came to the conclusion that his eye-sight won’t return in his left eye.”

Together with the team doctor of Löwen, a rehab programme of Bielecki is being prepared. There is a special focus on coordinative exercises and a training for his right eye.

“It was a terrible shock, as I had really no injury in the last 11 years of my professional career,” Bielecki is quoted on the Löwen website, “but I will do everything to return on court. I know that I have a chance – and I will take it.”

The club supports the player in everything. “We will help him in whatever we can. It’s a tough way he has to go now and this will be the biggest challenge of his whole life. But we know that Karol is a real fighter,” Löwen manager Thorsten Storm says.

Only one week before the accident, Bielecki had extended his contract with Löwen until 2015.