The skater artist seriously injured during a rehearsal of the opening ceremony of the YOG 2020 in Lausanne is doing better. For the first time, she gives her version of the facts: “No, I did not lose my balance, there was a technical problem”.
On January 7, 35-year-old Russian skater Olga Sevastianova, domiciled in Germany where she is currently in a hospital, was seriously injured at the Malley ice rink. Pulled over the ice as she rehearsed for the opening ceremony of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG), she had fallen five meters high.
The Russian had been admitted to the CHUV in serious condition, her life even being in danger. The circumstances of the tragedy are still not established. An investigation is still ongoing. Police and organizers, however, spoke of a loss of balance.
In an interview given at 24 Hours on Saturday, the Russian spoke for the first time about the circumstances of the accident and gave news about her state of health. She criticizes the Lausanne 2020 committee and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in passing.
Liver, head, ribs, hand and eye affected
Sevastianova says he is now saved but that the reconstruction will be long and trying. “A lot has evolved positively, for sure, but compared to what was my normal state before the accident, there is still a lot to do. Besides, nobody can guarantee that I will recover 100%, “she said in the Vaud daily.
“My liver was badly damaged, it was the biggest danger to my life and therefore the part that was operated on first. The day after the accident, the blood pressure in my skull was very high and to control it better, I had to remove part of the bone. It has just been replaced and is held in place by staples. I also spent a few days in an artificial coma. Finally, I had four broken ribs and the bones of one hand completely broken. The surgeons took 4.5 hours to reconstruct them. ”
“I have learned to walk, drink and eat again, but there is more work to do. I may need to have my right hand reopened because she no longer has any sensitivity. Some of the bones in my face were also broken, nerves were damaged and it affected my right eye. It is slightly off-center. So I see double. If that doesn’t work out, we will also need an operation, ”explains the victim.
“No support” from the YOG and the IOC
The acrobat categorically denies the thesis of loss of balance. “One thing I am absolutely sure of is that I did not lose my balance but that there was a technical problem. I don’t know who is responsible for it, but the ongoing criminal investigation will have to say. I trust justice, ”she says.
She also said that she had no support from the organizing committee of the YOG Lausanne and the IOC. “I have no contact with them. I am supported by my friends, by strangers who have made donations in my favor and by the wonderful staff of the CHUV. The people who brought me to Lausanne show me no support and this lack of consideration weighs heavily on me, “says the skater.
The issue of final financial support remains unresolved, she said. “There are a lot of players in the organization of the YOG and, for now, they are passing the buck.” A skater friend launched a crowfunding campaign on social media to help the artist.
Sevastianov said she did not know if she could repat one day. “In any case, I will never again be able to perform the numbers that I used to perform before, they require too many skills that I will not find.”
Source: ATS
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