Michael Schumacher health latest as ‘challenging’ care laid bare | F1 | Sport
Michael Schumacher’s daily medical regimen has been described as “extremely challenging” in a trial related to the alleged rape of his former nurse. The Formula 1 legend is believed to require around-the-clock care after a 2013 skiing accident left him with a traumatic brain injury.
Schumacher won seven F1 world titles during his time on track, securing his first two for Benetton and five for Ferrari. He retired in 2006 but made a brief return for Mercedes from 2010 to 2012. A year later, whilst skiing in the French Alps, Schumacher fell and struck his head on a rock, resulting in a catastrophic brain injury. In the years since, he has been kept out of the public eye, dividing his time between a home in Switzerland and an estate in Mallorca. The severity of his treatment has been laid bare as an ex-racing driver stands accused of raping Schumacher’s former nurse in his home.
Joey Mawson, 30, is currently standing trial before the La Cote District Court in Nyon over allegations of rape at the Swiss Schumacher household. The nurse, whose employment with the family concluded in 2020, alleges she was assaulted twice following a social gathering at the estate in 2019.
Mawson’s defence counsel, Maitre Veronica Abu Zeid, has stated that her client strongly denies the charges, having previously claimed the sex was consensual. During the ongoing trial, the nurse’s lawyer shared what toll providing treatment to Schumacher took on her. The court heard: “It’s an extremely demanding job, both physically and emotionally.
“Added to that is the culture of silence surrounding this family. That’s understandable. But for the employees, who aren’t even allowed to talk to their friends about their daily lives, the pressure is enormous. I say this because it shows how seriously and passionately she performed her work. She was entrusted with the most difficult tasks.
“This is no ordinary profession. There are countless articles about what happens in this house and how the champion is doing. It is a test, an enormous amount of pressure, which she masters perfectly. She is impeccable. The Schumacher family themselves say that her work is perfect.”
Schumacher’s physical state is unknown, but in January, reports emerged claiming that he was no longer bedridden after years of physical therapy. It was alleged that he is now able to sit upright and that he is aware of some of what is going on around him, although he still requires the use of a wheelchair and remains unable to walk.
She said: “Michael doesn’t speak, he communicates with his eyes. Only three people can visit him, and I know who they are. They moved to Spain and his wife [Corinna] has set up a hospital in that house.”
