Following the injury she picked up in China's first FIFA Women's World Cup USA 2003 match, Pan Lina told FIFAworldcup.com about her surgery and recovery.

"I had ligament surgery on my left knee on October 1 in Los Angeles," she said. "I'm pleased to say the operation went smoothly and I should be fully recovered soon."

Pan Lina, one of the central figures in China's midfield, was injured in the 36th minute of the Steel Roses' opener against Ghana.

"She saw one of the best doctors in the United States," said FIFA Chief Medical Officer Professor Jiri Dvorak. "I'm happy to report that Pan Lina's operation was a success and that she should recover quickly. FIFA takes injuries very seriously. Injured players are given a very high priority."

"According to FIFA regulations, the Local Organising Committee must establish emergency medical teams in each city where games are held. These local teams are all made up of outstanding medical specialists. Each stadium also has all the necessary facilities, ambulances, stretchers, and medical personnel who work alongside FIFA medical officials to oversee emergency treatment, and where necessary, send players by ambulance to a nearby hospital," said Dvorak.

Dvorak went on to describe the procedure taken when a player goes down with an injury.

"Generally, the team physician will be the first person to look at the injury. That's the part you can see; when a player goes down on the field, the first person to come running out is the team doctor. If the injury is serious, the doctor will ask for help from the stadium medical team. After the team doctor and the medical team examine the injury, they send the diagnosis to the FIFA medical affairs personnel for information."

Dvorak said Pan Lina's injury was no exception. The team doctor examined her injury with the medical team, and they quickly decided to send her to the hospital for immediate assessment and treatment.

"FIFA attach great importance to pre-game medical preparation for any possible injury. The better preparation we make, the better treatment the injured players will receive," said Dvorak. "Now we are launching F-MARC (FIFA Medical Assessment and Research Centre) Clinic through cooperation with associations of FIFA member countries for further development of pre-competition independent assessment and better treatment during the competition."

"The operation was such a success the doctors say I'll be fully recovered in just a few months," Pan Lina said cheerfully.

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