Michael Schumacher accident: Doctors work to bring champion out of coma

French doctors treating injured Michael Schumacher in Grenoble hospital are reducing his sedation to prepare to bring him out of a coma, his manager says.

This step will allow the “waking up process” to start, Sabine Kehm said in a statement.

But bringing Michael Schumacher out of the coma “could take a long time”, Sabine Kehm added.

Michael Schumacher, 45, suffered a severe head injury in a skiing accident in the French Alps on December 29.

The seven-time champion was put into a medically induced coma by his doctors at a clinic in Grenoble following operations to remove blood clots from his brain.

Doctors have kept Michael Schumacher asleep to help reduce the swelling.

Sabine Kehm was approached by the media for comment on Michael Schumacher’s condition on Wednesday – exactly a month after his crash. She said then that his condition remained “stable”.

In her statement on Thursday, Sabine Kehm said it had been agreed to communicate details of his sedation “only once this process was consolidated”.

The statement again included an appeal by Michael Schumacher’s family for privacy for them and for his doctors, while at the same time expressing “sincere appreciation for the worldwide sympathy”.

At his bedside since the accident, the family has received hundreds of letters and gifts from around the world.

Earlier this month, investigators probing the accident said Michael Schumacher had been going at the speed of “a very good skier” at the time of his crash in the resort of Meribel.