‘An exciting challenge’: Australian hockey player Matt Dawson amputates part of his finger to secure his spot on the Olympic team

An Australian hockey player has amputated part of his finger in an extreme show of dedication to the Olympics. Matthew Dawson is all set to represent the Australian men’s hockey team — the Kookaburras — at the Paris 2024 Olympics after he opted to amputate part of his right ring finger. Dawson’s Olympic participation was plunged into doubt after he broke the finger, leading him to opt for an amputation rather than a cast. “I made an informed decision with the plastic surgeon at the time not only for the opportunity to play in Paris but for life after as well,” Dawson told 7NEWS. “The best option was for me to take the top of my finger off. It’s a bit of a change at the moment and an exciting challenge, I guess.” The 30-year-old reportedly didn’t have much time to make the big decision. “I had made the decision and then I called my wife, and she said, ‘I don’t want you to make a rash decision’, but I had all the information I needed to make the decision not for Paris but for life after,” he said. “Hopefully, I can not take too long to get back to form.” He added he’s “very fortunate” he only needed to amputate “just a little bit of (his) finger”. “There are plenty of other issues and other people going on with other stuff in their lives that are bigger than losing a finger, so I’m very fortunate that it’s just a little bit of my finger,” he said. The Australian hockey team are all set to face Rio 2016 champions Argentina next week in their first match of the Paris Olympics on July 27. Kookaburras Coach Colin Batch praised Dawson for his decision. “Dawson is back in training now. He’s certainly set the bar high for anyone getting a broken finger in the future, but full marks to Matt; he’s made that decision and obviously really committed to playing in Paris,” he said. Batch also told 7NEWS the decision wasn’t one a “coach can decide for a player”. “I’m not sure I would have done it, but he’s done it, so great,” he said. It comes after Dawson almost lost an eye after he was hit with a hockey stick six years ago.