Despite claims that the Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher can walk again, his lawyers are denying that notion, calling it untrue.
Schumacher’s family is suing Die Bunte magazine for quoting an unidentified friend of the 47-year-old who said Schumacher was able to walk “a couple of steps” following his skiing accident in the Alps in December 2013, The Guardian noted. After the accident, during which Schumacher hit his head on a rock, he spent six months in a coma.
An original report from last December featured a picture of Schumacher on the cover of the German magazine with a headline saying, “He can walk again.”
“Michael is very thin,” the friend commented. “But he can once again walk a little with the help of his therapists. He manages to make a couple of steps. And he can also raise an arm.”
According to The Guardian, Schumacher’s manager Sabine Kehm described the remarks as “irresponsible.”
“Unfortunately, we are forced by a recent press report to clarify that the assertion that Michael could move again is not true,” she said. “Such speculation is irresponsible because given the seriousness of his injuries, his privacy is very important for Michael. Unfortunately, they also give false hopes to many involved people.”
According to Schumacher’s lawyer, Felix Damm, Schumacher “cannot stand even with the aid of his special therapists,” CNN reported.
The family's lawsuit against the German publication argues Schumacher's right to privacy. A verdict is due in October, CNN noted. Die Bunte declined to comment on the case.
In February, Kehm said that she hopes Schumacher “will be here again one day.”