Angry Michael Schumacher fans have criticised a German magazine after they published a picture of the star smiling together with his wife Corinna under the headline 'awake'
Fans who bought the women's magazine Die Aktuelle discovered it was simply full of stories about people who had awoken after a coma.
German news portal News.de said they had asked the publisher if it had been a deliberate attempt to trick people into buying the publication, or simply careless subbing.
But the German publisher of the magazine, the Gong-Verlag, has so far declined to comment on the outrage over the allegations it was simply trying to cash in on the tragedy.
Michael Schumacher fans have complained after a German magazine published a picture of the star smiling together with his wife Corinna under the headline 'awake' (left). Mrs Schumacher is pictured (right) arriving at the hospital where her husband is being cared for in January
Schumacher's family have been told by doctors the F1 racing star is unlikely to wake up from his medically induced coma, which he was put in three months ago to reduce brain swelling following a skiing accident in the Alps where he hit his head on a boulder (file picture taken in 2000)
Reader Dr Gerd Hartmann wrote in the comments section of News.de: 'Such magazines are simply terrible, especially given that the chances of survival with this type of therapy are abysmal. Out of 10 patients 5 would never recover, 3 will be severely disabled and only 2 might recover.'
Another user posting as SchumiFan posted: 'I can't believe they are cashing in on this tragedy, there should be a law against this type of shoddy, sensationalist and downright insulting journalism.'
On Twitter, one Schumacher fan said: 'The magazine should be sued. It is just terrible. Tasteless.'
Another wrote: 'It was just a blatant attempt to sell more copies of their mag through sensational stories.'
German media ethics expert Christian Schicha said: 'This is a clear attempt to deceive the readers. It is an obvious attempt to make money out of a sick man. It is completely tasteless. It is ethically completely out of the question.
'Die Aktuelle blatantly makes the impression through the headline that they know something new about the case. It is completely irresponsible. Schumacher’s family have suffered enough without this kind of story circulating.'
The family currently make a 150-mile round trip from their Swiss home every day to visit 45-year-old Schumacher in the Grenoble University Hospital in France where he is receiving treatment
The anger at the magazine's front page follows reports that wife Corinna, 45, is installing a £10m medical suite in their family home near Lake Geneva in Switzerland, so her husband can be cared for at home instead of the hospital.
They spend up to ten hours by his bedside, offering up prayers for his recovery, before returning home in the evening.
The family currently make a 150-mile round trip from their Swiss home every day to visit 45-year-old Schumacher in the Grenoble University Hospital in France where he is receiving treatment.
They have been told by doctors that the F1 racing star is unlikely to wake up from his medically induced coma, which he was put in three months ago to reduce brain swelling following a skiing accident in the Alps where he hit his head on a boulder.
Since then, there have been few encouraging signs of recovery and the racing ace has been wasting away in his hospital bed, losing 25 per cent of his body mass to now only weigh 8st 7lbs.
Last month it was reported Schumacher was airlifted to the 'wrong' hospital after his ski crash, losing vital hours to save him.
The outrage at the magazine's front page follows reports that wife Corinna, 45, is installing a £10m medical suite in their family home near Lake Geneva in Switzerland
It was claimed he was rushed to a local clinic instead of being taken to brain specialists.
Gary Hartstein, the former chief doctor of Formula One say he believes this decision could have majorly affected his chances of recovery.
He told The Sun: 'You do not take patients with a suspected head injury to hospitals that do not have neuro-surgical capability.'
After being initially airlifted to Moutiers Schumacher was taken to Grenoble University Hospital, about 50 miles away where he has remained since.
No comments:
Post a Comment