Shares by wearable sports camera maker, GoPro, plummeted in October 13 following reports that Michael Schumacher's accident, which left him in a coma, had been caused by the mounting of this device.
According to The Independent, GoPro stock values dropped by as much as 16 percent on the New York Stock Exchange shortly after renowned French journalist Jean-Louis Moncet suggested that the camera may have worsened the injuries on the champion race car driver's head. In an interview with radio station Europe 1, Moncet said, "The problem for Michael was not the hit, but the mounting of the GoPro camera that he had on his helmet that injured his brain."
The journalist reportedly said that he learned of this from Mick, Schumacher's son. Later, however, he turned to his Twitter account to deny that any talk had occured and that no mention of GoPro happened.
In his first tweet, he said, "STOP ALL SPECULATION. I say I saw Mic Schumacher, I dont say where, I dont say I talk with or I did an interview with him. Clear? #F1" He followed with another, saying "STOP ALL SPECULATION 2. Mick could not say something about camera or injury of Michael because we did not speak together. #F1"
In a report by ABC News, Michael Schumacher's helmet had shattered but the camera was undamaged in the accident. The 45-year-old had been skiing in the French Alps in December 2013 with his son and friends when the accident happened. He came out from a medically induced coma in June 2014 and is currently at his home in Switzerland recovering.
The same ABC News article quoted neurosurgeon Paul D'Urso from the Epworth Hospital in Melbourne who said, "Any modification of a helmet potentially is going to cause unpredictable results, particularly if there's a traumatic impact on the helmet. It's not something we've seen a lot of with cameras attached to them."
A spokesperson for GoPro commented in an article by AutoWeek, "We are trying to get more information about the original report from Jean-Louis Moncet. His tweet this morning suggests the comments didn't come from a family member."
Moncet's latest tweet about the issue reads, "Talking about GoPro, there were no news. It was just my opinion. #F1"