Chinese basketball star Guo Ailun suffers severe eye injury in practice

GUANGZHOU, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- 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 on Tuesday.

According to Guo, the injury occurred during a routine drill on 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 on Tuesday.

Guo has averaged 15.7 points and 5.6 assists per game this season. ■