Federica Brignone, ranked Overall World Cup skiing champion, was discharged from the hospital 5 days after breaking multiple bones in her left leg in a giant slalom crash and undergoing surgery.
After her crash at the Italian championships at the Lusia ski area in Val di Fassa, she flew on a helicopter to a hospital in Trento then transferred to Milan, where she was operated on on the same day. Due to the intensity of her accident, Italian Winter Sports Federation medical chief Andrea Panzeri said it was too early to say when Brignone might race again.
She says, “It was the greatest time of my life, but unfortunately if you ski for a profession, (injury) can happen.” Brignone also tore her ACL, increasing questions, comments, and concerns of her chances of competing at the home Olympics in 10 months.
“I still don’t know how long it will take (to return),” Federica told reporters as she sat in a wheelchair before leaving the La Madonnina clinic in Milan.
