Michael Schumacher's manager says doctors have started the process of bringing the former Formula One champion out of the coma he has been in since a skiing accident a month ago.

The German was skiing in the French Alpine resort of Meribel on Dec. 29 when he fell and hit the right side of his head on a rock.

Since then he has been in an induced comas in Grenoble University Hospital.

His manager Sabine Kehm says in a statement Thursday that "Michael's sedation is being reduced in order to allow the start of the waking up process which may take long time."

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