Matador In 'Serious Condition' After Being Gored In The Groin

Warning: This article contains images which some readers may find distressing

A matador who was gored during a bullfighting tournament is 'gravely ill' in hospital.

Gonzalo Caballero, 27, sustained injuries to his thigh and groin during an event to mark Hispanic Day in Madrid's Las Ventas bullring.

The bull reportedly hit a 'vital vein', leaving Caballero in a 'serious condition'.

The back of the bull's neck had been cut by a sword but the animal continued to fight, charging at Caballero and hitting him in the leg before tossing him into the air.

Shutterstock

As Caballero lay on the floor, the bull attacked again, this time reportedly cutting his femoral vein.

He was carried out of the bullring, leaving a trail of blood behind him.

Images taken after he was gored show Caballero holding his crotch in what appears to be an attempt to stem the blood flow. He was operated on for more than two hours at the bullring's infirmary before being transferred to a medical centre.

Caballero, who is the boyfriend of Victoria Federica, niece of the King of the Spain, had only recently returned to the ring following months out due to being gored at a previous tournament.

His girlfriend and her uncle were among those who watched on in horror as the bull attacked.

According to reports, Caballero was given the severed ear of the bull, which was cut off by another matador, as is tradition.

He was said to have been presented with the ear while being treated in the hospital.

Caballero is far from the first matador to be left injured after a bullfight this year - in August Paco Urena was hit in the groin by a bull while at the Semana Grande fair in Bilbao, Basque Country.

He was later photographed holding up two severed bull ears, while his clothing was splashed with blood.

Shutterstock

While many matadors are injured, or worse, in the bullfights, it's not a barrel of laughs for the bulls either.

According to PETA, at least 7,000 bulls are killed each year at Spanish bullfights. The organisation says: "The animals are pushed to extreme mental and physical exhaustion before being stabbed to death. Bullfighting is never a fair fight but rather a ritualistic slaughter of a helpless animal."

PETA urges tourists not to attend bullfighting events when visiting countries, including Spain, which practise the blood sport.

Topics: World News, Animals

Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

@ClaireReid19