After recovering from a serious crash, Mikaela Shiffrin returned to skiing with heightened awareness of the risks involved in training. Despite sustaining significant injuries in a World Cup event, Shiffrin acknowledged that training courses can pose equally if not more danger. Reflecting on her experience, Shiffrin emphasized the challenge of assessing whether the risks involved in training were reasonable or unreasonably dangerous.
Alexis Pinturault, the 2021 men’s overall World Cup champion, echoed Shiffrin’s sentiments, highlighting the unsafe conditions in which skiers often train. The conversation around safety in Alpine skiing gained renewed attention following the tragic death of World Cup racer Matteo Franzoso during preseason training in Chile, just months before the Milan-Cortina Olympics.
Shiffrin, a decorated skier, opened up about the post-traumatic stress she faced upon returning to the sport after her crash. She stressed the importance of not disregarding life-threatening risks under the guise of inherent dangers in the sport. The disparity in safety standards between training and race courses was also underscored, with training courses generally lacking the same safety measures due to financial constraints.
While race courses are typically equipped with ample safety nets, the same cannot be said for training courses. Sofia Goggia, the 2018 Olympic downhill champion, likened ski racing to extreme sports like F1 or MotoGP, emphasizing the constant risks involved. The need for a more organized approach to safety on training courses was emphasized, with calls for improved safety standards and increased accountability across the board.
In response to recent tragedies, the Italian Winter Sports Federation advocated for dedicated training courses with enhanced safety measures. FIS President Johan Eliasch acknowledged the need to prevent accidents through collaborative efforts with federations and organizers. Despite challenges in achieving uniform safety standards, efforts were underway to enhance safety protocols and minimize risks for athletes.
The debate also centered on funding for safety upgrades, with Eliasch highlighting FIS’s financial support for member federations. While larger nations like Austria and Switzerland were encouraged to invest more in safety, smaller federations faced challenges in meeting the same standards. Calls for improved coordination and support from FIS for training venues were echoed by athletes and coaches, emphasizing the need for tangible action to enhance safety on training courses.
