It’s been 500 days since Alexander Dellert, 34, last played.
The AIK defender still has a concussion and his future in hockey is uncertain.
– It changed lives. Moments ago, says Alexander Dellert, “I wasn’t a human being here at home.”
When I last spoke to Alexander Dellert, he had just emerged from the other side of a nightmare. In May 2021, the hill, then in Bjorkloven, was hit hard by Corona. He was taken by ambulance to the intensive care unit and stayed there for five days.
He was confident that he would come back stronger than ever and he certainly had things to be happy about. Since then, he has become a father and got engaged to his girlfriend, Stina Lilgesand.
Physically, it was even more difficult.
Alexander Dellert changed Umeå to Stockholm and AIK, but in 17 games last year’s season he suffered a severe concussion against HV71. A fight ended with Max Wennlund throwing HV forward onto the ice where he hit his head.
“It will definitely change lives.”
Both received match penalties for the fight, with no further punishment. Almost 17 months later, Deilert is still reeling from the blow.
“It was obviously life-changing given that for long periods of time I wasn’t a human being here at home,” says Alexander Dellert.
– My gorgeous fiancée had to take care of me and our daughter, which was never the plan. As a parent, you naturally want to be able and be able to help, just as all parents of young children want to. Sometimes I couldn’t do that.
Seeing similar positions from the TV couch causes him to react.
– I feel so frustrated. I think I see situations all the time where people play a bloody coward and pull someone from behind. I don’t think people who don’t play hockey understand, but it’s easy to just sit there and think: Oh, how strong is he to knock him out in a wrestling match. This is not the case, a person can pull someone from behind and you have no chance of defending against them on skis. At worst, it gets really bad, like it happened to me. I’m riding a high foot count and downhill descents at the same crank. It landed on my head and fractured the entire skull. At the time my head was thrust against the ice and here I am sitting 17 months later.
Dellert adds that he himself feels guilty for putting himself in the situation.
– If you’re in the game, you have to endure the game, as they usually say, and that’s it. But some things shouldn’t be right, especially dropdown menus where you can land on your head is something that should get more attention. It feels like a matter of time before the next player gets a similar injury to mine.
“Absolutely absurd – life threatening.”
Do you think that the disciplinary board should issue harsher penalties for such situations?
– In any case, it should be discussed further. The focus is on many different things – some of which can be debated about whether or not energy should be invested in – but this is something that absolutely needs to be discussed. I mean, there are TV commentators praising such measures, that you were strong. This to me is absolutely absurd. It is life threatening.
Nothing was heard from Max Weinlund after the situation.
In fact, it doesn’t matter if you get a call or a text. I mostly think it’s time someone started taking these attitudes seriously.
Hockey’s future is uncertain
Alexander Dellert returned to the ice at the end of last year.
– I started moving to try in November or December to come back this season, but it didn’t work out. I still have issues with my headaches and am still getting some medication, says Dillert, adding that my mood has improved a lot.
He has no problems training to raise the pulse today, but he gets occasional headaches in daily life. He says he was mentally exhausted and motivation went up and down.
– There were moments when I didn’t want to get acquainted with hockey at all. But also the moments when I felt good and felt a sense of hope. I trained and did my best during this period, but a few weeks ago I realized I wasn’t going to come back this season.
AIK’s season ended in the quarter-finals against Modo and Deilert’s contract with the club expired at the end of April.
How do you see your future in hockey?
– It is very difficult to say whether you are completely honest. I will probably make a final decision when my contract expires. There is very little time left and then I will probably have to make another decision on whether to continue or not.
Sportbladet applied for Max Wennlund.