August 30 - New Zealand's Commonwealth Games medallist John Bolton (pictured) claims he has been left "maimed" after being infected with what he believes was a "superbug" during a routine shoulder operation at a top private hospital.

Bolton, who won the silver medal in the light heavyweight combined at Edinburgh in 1970 and the heavyweight combined at Christchurch four years later, claimed that he picked up the bug after having surgery following a fall on Christmas Eve in 2007.

Bolton, who also represented New Zealand in the 1968 Mexico City and 1972 Munich Olympics, claimed that he has been in pain almost ever since.

He has now alleged that is because he alleged he contracted the superbug during the surgery.

Dr Andrew Wong, the chief executive of the MercyAscot Hospital, where the operation took place, said: "We can categorically state that there's no superbug infection at the hospital at the time he was there and now.

"There has been no increase in the incidents of infection in shoulder surgery at Ascot."

Greg Simmons, the chief adviser to New Zealand's Ministry of Health, promised he would look into Bolton's case tomorrow, as well as his call for more private hospital accountability and transparency.

Bolton claims he has still not recovered and has lost 70 per cent of the use of his right arm.

Bolton said : "This private hospital has to be made accountable."

"It cost at least NZ$50,000 (£21,000) to fix me from an infection which I believe was from a private hospital where most people expect to be safe. 

"At times I get really upset. 

"I can't even cut our hedge or paint our house."