Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy – Dr. Stefano Zanarella, the chief orthopedic surgeon who led the medical team treating US ski star Lindsey Vonn following her high-speed crash during the Olympic downhill race, has provided an update on her condition. “We have done our duty. We knew that certain situations could arise and we were prepared,” Dr. Zanarella told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, confirming the team successfully navigated a complex series of operations.
Vonn, 41, sustained a severe leg injury during the race in Cortina d’Ampezzo on Sunday, requiring three surgeries at the Ca’ Foncello hospital in Treviso, Italy, to address a complex fracture of the tibia and fibula in her left leg. She had elected to compete despite a recently suffered torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), a decision that ultimately led to the devastating crash after just 13 seconds of the run.
Dr. Zanarella emphasized the team’s preparedness and expertise in handling such critical cases. “We treated this complicated case with a team of experts and coordinated every step of the recovery path together,” he stated. He also highlighted that Vonn’s celebrity status did not influence the level of care she received. “We showed the same commitment that we dedicate to every patient, without letting ourselves be influenced by the fact that she is a world-class athlete,” Zanarella explained, noting that the hospital routinely handles approximately ten fracture cases and performs five to six orthopedic surgeries each weekend.
Vonn herself publicly acknowledged the care she received, posting a message from her hospital bed on social media expressing gratitude to the medical staff. Her message, described as “great” and “inspiring” by International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry, resonated deeply with the medical team. “The words of the patient fill us with pride, also given that we have successfully managed a delicate and long medical situation,” Dr. Zanarella said. He further praised Vonn as “an exemplary patient,” as well as acknowledging the support from her US team and the physicians from the US Ski and Snowboard federation.
Prior to the injury, Vonn had expressed her determination to add to her Olympic medal count, having won a downhill gold medal at the 2010 Vancouver Games. She had previously announced that the 2026 Olympics would likely be her final competition. Following a further operation scheduled for Saturday, Vonn indicated she hopes to return to the United States, but anticipates additional surgeries will be required there, though the specifics of those procedures remain unclear. “I don’t know exactly what that means yet,” she said in a video posted to social media, adding that she needs to gain a clearer understanding of the extent of her injuries before planning the next steps in her recovery.
