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Czech president Zeman hospitalised after arm injury, will undergo surgery - spokesman

PRAGUE (Reuters) - Czech President Milos Zeman was hospitalised on Tuesday after an arm injury and he will undergo surgery, the president's spokesman said.

Zeman, 75, suffers from a nerve condition in his feet and walks with a cane. A heavy smoker known for his love of alcohol, he has said repeatedly that apart from the problem with his feet, he is in good health.

"The president was hospitalised tonight due to an injury at the Military University Hospital in Prague," spokesman Jiri Ovcacek said on Twitter.

"The president will undergo surgery of his injured arm. It is not a life-threatening state, the president is in contact with his family and his staff," Ovcacek said.

Czech media reported that the president broke his right arm in a fall after he refused to use his cane.

The former prime minister started his second five-year term as the head of state in March 2018. The post of president is largely ceremonial in the European Union member country, with the government being the main executive body.

(Reporting by Robert Muller in Prague; Editing by Chris Reese and Matthew Lewis)