On February 18 2019, George Diamond collapsed in the carpark of Sting Gym in Melbourne’s outer east.
The apprentice builder had taken up boxing one year prior as a way to improve his fitness.
Soon after he collapsed, an ambulance arrived, taking him to The Alfred where an emergency surgery was performed to relieve pressure on his brain.
It was unsuccessful, and George passed away on February 21.
A little less than five months before, on October 25 2018, he’d been sparring at the Cranbourne West gym when he took hit to the groin, and to the head.
“The gym let him drive home, I kept an eye on him all night and come morning I took him to the doctors,” George’s father Vlasis Diamond tells Neos Kosmos.
He says George had been suffering from headaches, neck and back pain and bouts of vomiting since the night before.
During their consultation at Pearcedale Medical Centre, Vlasis says George underwent a review but no brain scan was ordered.
When the two returned to the practice five days later, George was still unwell, and they were told to return for review after another five days.
10 days after his head injury, George and his Father decided to attend Frankston Hospital where the young man repeated his complaints: vomiting, headaches, dizziness.
“I told the attending doctor we needed to do a scan. He said it wasn’t necessary,” Vlasis explains.
He tells Neos Kosmos that as much was noted in the discharge report: following ‘long discussion’ with George’s father and specialists, it was determined a CT scan wasn’t warranted.
Vlasis says that on November 16 , George’s gym membership was suspended owing to his injury. It wasn’t until mid-January 2019 he was allowed back with medical clearance.
But he claims staff encouraged George to continue training during his suspension, even organising for him to spar with a fellow amateur boxer at another gym.
The autopsy carried out following the young man’s death found evidence he’d suffered from a number of brain hemorrhages.
One, the post-mortem examination found, was current; ostensibly contributing to his collapse.
Another however showed evidence it had existed for some time.
The family have commenced legal proceedings in the Supreme Court of Victoria alleging that George was not provided the duty of care he was owed.
“Maybe if he’d had that scan… he’d still be alive today,” Vlasis says.