Renowned Spanish bullfighter, José Antonio Morante Camacho, also known as Morante de la Puebla, suffered a severe injury during a bullfight at La Maestranza bullring in Seville. The incident occurred when he was gored by a bull named ‘Clandestino’ during the tenth event of the April Fair. Morante, a highly regarded figure in bullfighting circles, was attempting to control the bull when it charged at him, causing him to fall to the ground. In the process, one of the bull’s horns pierced his rectum, resulting in a significant injury.
Footage of the incident captured the moment when the bull’s horn made contact with Morante’s buttock, leading to visible distress. He was subsequently carried out of the ring by fellow bullfighters. Prior to this incident, Morante had already suffered a minor injury to his ear during the event. Following the goring, he underwent a two-hour operation at a hospital in Seville, where doctors assessed the extent of his injuries.
The medical report described Morante’s injury as a 10cm bull horn wound on the posterior anal margin, partially damaging the anal sphincter muscles and perforating the rectum’s posterior wall by 1.5cm. The surgical intervention involved washing the wound, repairing the rectal wall and sphincter apparatus, and placing a suction drain in the affected area.
The distressing incident has raised concerns about Morante’s well-being and cast a shadow over the remainder of the bullfighting event. Morante’s unexpected decision to remove his traditional bullfighter’s coleta before the festival had generated anticipation among fans. Despite the setback, he had made a highly anticipated comeback to the ring at the April Fair and the Corpus Christi festival, attracting a large audience eager to witness his return.