Things went horribly awry Thursday night when former National Rugby League star Ben Ross suffered a gruesome injury to his arm during a charity arm-wrestling match that was televised live on Australia's Nine Network.
Warning: Graphic video, below
WTF just happened??? #footyshow #benross pic.twitter.com/ZtIfMghJAT— El Mass (@Elmassi84) June 11, 2015
Fark that is why I don't like to watch arm wrestling!!!! #footyshow @NRLFootyShow— Matthew Kingsford (@MATT_Chew90) June 11, 2015
Ross was arm-wrestling Wendell Sailor, another former rugby league player, on The Footy Show as part of the Iron Arm Challenge for the Men of League, an organization dedicated to supporting forming rugby league players, referees and their families. Ross began to cry out in pain as soon as the injury occurred, and the show cut away to advertisements.
Just witnessed arm break in the #footyshow. Still playing ads as they have had to cut the show— Marc Lehmann (@marclehmann) June 11, 2015
...and that's why you don't arm wrestle kids! #footyshow— Ashleigh Smith (@ashleighjsmith) June 11, 2015
In a series of Twitter posts detailing Ross' injury -- a broken humerus -- and the aftermath, The Footy Show described him as being in "good spirits."
UPDATE ON BEN ROSS: An X-ray on Ben has confirmed a broken humerus. (1/3) #NRLFootyShow— The NRL Footy Show (@NRLFootyShow) June 11, 2015
Ben has been in remarkably good spirits all night and is already asking for a left handed rematch! (2/3) #NRLFootyShow— The NRL Footy Show (@NRLFootyShow) June 11, 2015
An @NRLFootyShow producer stayed with Ben in the ambulance and at hospital until his wife arrived. (3/3) #NRLFootyShow— The NRL Footy Show (@NRLFootyShow) June 11, 2015
Sailor, Ross' competitor in the match, tweeted an apology later on.
Just like to send some love/well wishes out to @benross23 & his family after the accident on the @NRLFootyShow - sorry Big Ben feel so bad.— Wendell Sailor (@RealBigDell) June 11, 2015
This story has been updated to reflect details about the nature of Ross' injury.