Serious training injury
Hopes for gold are in danger of being eliminated from the Olympics
November 7, 2025 – 3:39 p.mReading time: 1 min.
Italy’s medal hope Flora Tabanelli injured her knee in a training fall. The big air world champion’s participation in the 2026 Winter Games is at great risk.
A training fall on the Stubai Glacier could have far-reaching consequences for Flora Tabanelli. The big air world champion injured her right knee – now her participation in the 2026 Olympics is in jeopardy.
The 17-year-old fell during jump training in the snow park on Thursday. According to the Italian association Fisi, she sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury during the failed landing attempt. An MRI scan on Friday morning in Milan confirmed the diagnosis.
Tabanelli is foregoing an operation in order to have a minimal chance of playing the home games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo (February 6th to 22nd, 2026). The Italian association said it is taking a conservative treatment route instead.
The freestyler not only won World Championship gold last winter, but also secured the overall World Cup – ahead of top athletes such as Tess Ledeux from France and the Chinese Eileen Gu. She also triumphed at the prestigious X-Games.
Italy’s team is already weakened. Ski racers Marta Bassino (shinbone fracture) and Marta Rossetti (torn cruciate ligament) will miss the Winter Olympics. It is also questionable whether Federica Brignone can compete. The reigning overall World Cup winner is suffering from an injury.