KNVB: We kept Arsenal informed

The Dutch football association claim they kept Arsenal fully informed about Robin van Persie’s ankle injury after Gunners boss Arsene Wenger accused them of “minimising” the seriousness of the problem.

Van Persie suffered ruptured ankle ligaments during Holland’s friendly against Italy in Pescara on November 14, and after a controversial treatment in a Serbian clinic involving placenta failed to improve the problem, it has now emerged that he requires surgery and faces up to five months on the sidelines.

Wenger claimed the injury was “much worse” than the Dutch football association (KNVB) had initially told them and accused them of being “disrespectful” in not sending Van Persie straight back to London for treatment.

The KNVB have now given their version of events and said in a statement: “Directly after Robin van Persie got injured in the friendly of the Dutch national team versus Italy, the doctor of the Netherlands team diagnosed an ankle ligament problem.

“The Arsenal striker went to the hospital in Amsterdam on Sunday, where further examination (MRI scan) confirmed the diagnosis of the medical staff of the Netherlands team – Robin van Persie had a ruptured ligament of his right ankle.

“The medical staff of the KNVB contacted Arsenal club doctor Gary O’Driscoll the same Sunday to inform him about the outcome of the investigation and to transfer the medical record regarding this injury. The scan was also handed over to the medical staff of Arsenal.”

Quoted in several of this morning’s UK newspapers, Wenger said: “I think the Dutch FA minimised the injury.

“We have just found out that it is much worse than what they told us. If a player gets injured with his country he should be sent back to his club straight away to be checked out by their doctors, not by those of the national team.

“Countries just take your player away for a friendly and then give him back and say: ’There you go’. It doesn’t happen in any other sport. It’s a joke and is so disrespectful.”