What's happened
Austria's Mikaela Liensberger will undergo knee surgery after a training fall, ruling her out of the upcoming Winter Olympics. Her injury adds to concerns over athlete safety in high-speed skiing, with other top competitors also injured recently. The incident highlights risks in elite training ahead of major events.
What's behind the headline?
The injury to Liensberger underscores the inherent dangers of elite alpine skiing, especially in the lead-up to major competitions like the Olympics. The sport's high speeds and technical demands make injuries almost inevitable, but recent incidents reveal a potential need for stricter safety protocols. The fact that multiple top athletes, including Swiss champions and Mikaela Shiffrin, have been injured in training suggests that the risk management strategies in place may be insufficient. This raises questions about whether the sport's governing bodies will implement more rigorous safety measures or modify training practices to prevent future injuries. The timing of these injuries, just before the Olympics, could impact competitive dynamics and medal prospects, especially for athletes like Shiffrin who now face less competition. Overall, this situation highlights the tension between pushing athletic limits and ensuring athlete safety, which will likely dominate discussions in the coming weeks.
What the papers say
Al Jazeera and AP News both report on Liensberger's injury, confirming the severity and timing of her fall during training. While Al Jazeera emphasizes her career achievements and the broader context of injuries among top women skiers, AP News focuses on the implications for the upcoming Olympics and the safety concerns raised by recent incidents. Both sources agree that her injury is a significant setback for Austria and the international skiing community, with AP noting the potential impact on the competition in Italy. The coverage from both outlets highlights the ongoing debate about safety in high-speed sports and the risks athletes face in training, especially in the lead-up to major events.
How we got here
Liensberger, a prominent slalom skier, was injured during a giant slalom training run in Austria, just weeks before the Winter Olympics in Italy. Her fall resulted in multiple knee injuries, including a fracture, meniscus tear, and ligament damage. The injury comes amid broader concerns about safety in high-speed skiing, especially as several top athletes have been sidelined in recent months.
Go deeper
Common question
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Which Top Skiers Are Injured Before the Olympics?
With the Winter Olympics just around the corner, injuries among top skiers are raising concerns about athlete safety and competition readiness. Recent incidents, like Mikaela Liensberger's knee injury, highlight the risks athletes face during intense training. Curious about how common injuries are in elite skiing and what impact they have on Olympic teams? Read on to find out more about the current state of ski injuries and what it means for the upcoming games.
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Katharina Liensberger is an Austrian World Cup alpine ski racer, who specialises in the technical events of slalom and giant slalom.
Born in Feldkirch, Vorarlberg, Liensberger made her World Cup debut in January 2016 and gained her first podium in 2019. H