Costa warns Stoner surgery is risky

The Australian has been hindered by an old injury to his wrist and has been advised to have surgery.

The outgoing world champion admitted last week that the operation was necessary in order to save his career.

"We have to have an operation, if we don't then it could be our career over so it's disappointing that five years after getting an operation, that it starts to flair up now," he said.

The Ducati rider said that three doctors in three different countries had told him surgery was "indispensable."

Costa reckons, however, that the operation could be dangerous, especially after the Australian showed no problems while riding to victory in last Sunday's race.

"If Stoner manages to ride the way he did on Sunday, then getting surgery could be risky," Costa was quoted as saying by Gazzetta dello Sport.

"That's because it's an area where blood supply is scarce, and there is the possibility that the bone doesn't rebuild itself.

"Something like that forced Kevin Schwantz and Doriano Romboni to quit."