JUNE 30, 2002

You win some, you lose some...

The focus of the world was on Yokohama, Japan, on Sunday for the soccer World Cup Final between Germany and Brazil.

THE focus of the world was on Yokohama, Japan, on Sunday for the soccer World Cup Final between Germany and Brazil, and Michael Schumacher might be forgiven for being in two minds about the skills of the famous French surgeon Professor Gerard Saillant from the La Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital in Paris. Saillant was the doctor who operated on Michael after his crash at Silverstone in 1999 but in recent times has become better known for his work with the Brazilian striker Ronaldo. In order to thank Saillant for his work, the Brazilian star invited the surgeon to the World Cup final in Japan - against Germany - and Ronaldo proceeded to score two goals to beat Germany to the World Cup title.

Saillant has long been involved in sports surgery and first came to notice in the F1 world in 1989 when he flew to Brazil to look after the injured Philippe Streiff after the testing accident which left Streiff confined to a wheelchair.

He was also involved in operations on Gianni Morbidelli's wrist in 1997.