A dramatic fall, which occurred after just thirteen seconds of the race on the Olympia delle Tofane track, and a silence full of consternation among fans and enthusiasts. Lindsey Vonn, US women’s alpine skiing legend, underwent a double operation after yesterday’s accident in Cortina d’Ampezzo.
To mark a firm point on the champion’s sporting future was her father, Alan Kildow, who spoke bluntly in the evening: «She’s 41 years old, this is the end of her career». The man spent the night with his daughter at the Cà Foncello hospital in Treviso, where the Italian surgeons, supported by the US team, intervened to reduce the fracture in the femur of the left leg and apply an external fixation.
The operation and the transfer to Treviso
Vonn was initially transported by helicopter to the Codivilla hospital in Cortina immediately after the accident. Subsequently, on the recommendation of the medical staff of the US national team, the transfer to Treviso was arranged, one of the two reference hospital centers for Olympic emergencies together with Niguarda.
The surgery was also necessary to prevent complications related to swelling and blood circulation. The skier’s personal doctor was present in the operating room as an observer, while the procedures were guided by Italian surgeons. At first, only news of an operation to “stabilize” her left leg had filtered through the champion’s entourage.
The father’s words and the debate on the choice to compete
Speaking to the Associated Press agency, Kildow underlined her daughter’s strength of character: «She is very strong and has a strong personality. He knows physical pain, understands his situation and is managing it well.”
Vonn’s participation in the Games had already sparked the debate on the opportunity to take to the slopes, considering that the skier had arrived in Cortina with a damaged cruciate ligament in her left knee, following a fall at the end of January in the World Cup in Crans Montana.
The president of the International Ski Federation clarified that the choice had been made autonomously: “It was a decision that only she could make, who knows her injuries better than anyone else.” The accident was described as “incredibly unfortunate”, the result of a trajectory too close to the goal which caused an uncontrolled rotation in the air.
Decorum and confidentiality
At the moment the American staff is maintaining the utmost confidentiality regarding the post-operative course. No medical bulletin was released and access to the hospital was denied to journalists and operators.
The president of Veneto had a bouquet of flowers delivered to the champion in the morning, accompanied by a note: «Even in adversity, her spirit remains a powerful source of inspiration for athletes and for anyone who believes in the values of dedication, sacrifice and perseverance».