Basketballer Guo Ailun severely injured in practice

China's star guard Guo Ailun sustained a serious eye injury during an intra-squad practice session. The 31-year-old guard, currently playing for the Guangzhou Loong Lions, shared photos of his bloodied right eye on social media and posted a video describing the incident Tuesday.

According to Guo, the injury occurred during a routine drill Monday when a teammate’s finger accidentally pierced into his eye. Medical examinations revealed a ruptured conjunctiva requiring over 40 stitches.

“This wasn’t a basketball move. It nearly ended my career. I don’t know if I’ll ever fully recover or play again,” Guo said in the video.

The Guangzhou Loong Lions Basketball Club confirmed in an official statement that Guo has undergone emergency surgery after the incident. “We’ve mobilized China’s finest ophthalmologists and will spare no effort in supporting his rehabilitation,” the club said in the statement issued Tuesday.

The club did not name the teammate responsible for Guo’s injury. “Accidents during training sessions are unfortunate occurrences that nobody wishes to witness. While we acknowledge the concern for Ailun, we kindly urge everyone to respect the professionalism of basketball and refrain from reading too much into this incident,” the club stated. “We are reviewing this event and will enhance safety protocols to prevent similar accidents in the future.”

With just two weeks remaining before the resuming of the CBA regular season, it appears unlikely that Guo will return to the court for the remainder of the season. He has averaged 15.7 points and 5.6 assists per game this season.