Swiss ski sensation Lara Gut-Behrami has announced that she will be sidelined for the remainder of the Olympic season due to a serious knee injury sustained during a training mishap in the United States. The 34-year-old, who was set to defend her super-G title at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, had also planned to retire at the end of the season.
Gut-Behrami suffered the injury while practicing in super-G at Copper Mountain, Colorado, last week. She has now confirmed reports indicating that she tore ligaments in her left knee and suffered meniscus damage. In a statement, Gut-Behrami acknowledged the severity of her injury but emphasized that she does not view it as a tragedy, especially in light of recent tragic accidents involving young skiers during training sessions.
The two-time World Cup overall champion is scheduled to undergo surgery next week. Despite not formally announcing the end of her career, Gut-Behrami stated that she will assess her future in skiing following her recovery from the injury. The Milan Cortina Olympics would have marked her fourth appearance at the Winter Games, where she had previously achieved remarkable success, including gold medals in super-G and giant slalom at the 2021 world championships, as well as a bronze in downhill.