After experiencing a serious crash last year, Mikaela Shiffrin returned to skiing with heightened awareness of the risks involved in training. Shiffrin, a two-time Olympic champion, suffered a puncture wound to her abdomen and significant damage to her abdominal muscles during a World Cup giant slalom race. She emphasized the importance of evaluating the level of danger in training conditions, acknowledging the multitude of variables that can be challenging to control.
French skier Alexis Pinturault echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the unsafe training environments skiers often face. The discussion on safety in Alpine skiing was reignited following the tragic death of World Cup racer Matteo Franzoso in a preseason training accident in Chile, less than five months before the upcoming Milan-Cortina Olympics. Franzoso crashed through safety fencing and collided with a wooden fence, succumbing to cranial trauma and brain swelling.
Shiffrin, a dominant figure in the sport with numerous accolades, admitted to grappling with post-traumatic stress disorder upon her return to skiing post-injury. She stressed the need to assess and mitigate life-threatening risks in the sport, rather than accepting them as inherent. The disparity in safety standards between training and race courses was highlighted, with training courses often lacking sufficient safety measures such as adequate netting and medical support.
Italian Olympic downhill champion Sofia Goggia likened ski racing to extreme sports like F1 and MotoGP, emphasizing the constant presence of risk at high speeds. While race courses are equipped with ample safety nets, the same level of protection is often absent on training courses. Goggia called for enhanced organization and safety protocols on training slopes to prevent tragedies like Franzoso’s accident.
In response to the recent incidents, calls have been made for dedicated training courses with improved safety measures, aligning them with the standards of World Cup race courses. Efforts are underway to enhance safety in ski racing, including the provision of additional resources and coordination between national federations and governing bodies. The debate continues on how to fund and implement necessary safety upgrades to mitigate risks in Alpine skiing.