Spain Women's Team Player Hospitalized Mid-Olympiad — "They found I had a very bad stomach infection..."

Ines Prado Acebo

Spanish WFM

“[Question: There was a rather difficult moment during the tournament, right?]

Yes, it was health-related. At first, they thought I had appendicitis, and when they told me, I almost burst into tears. It seemed like they were going to have to operate on me right there and that I wouldn’t be able to play another game.

Then they did an ultrasound and found it was a very bad stomach infection and sent me to another hospital. There, they told me I had to stay for three or four days, but thankfully it was only one.

[Question: How did you manage to return to the competition after that?]

When I left the hospital, I was eager to play the next round. They told me to rest, and I ended up playing against Canada. It was the only game I lost.

I was still eating very little and felt drained of energy. I made a terrible mistake, and I think with more energy it might have been different. After that, I won the last three games, against Colombia, Croatia, and Indonesia, so I’m very satisfied.”