Italian skier Matteo Franzoso has died following a crash during training in Chile, the Italian Winter Sports Federation (FISI) announced today, September 15, 2024. He was 25 years old adn would have turned 26 tomorrow.
Franzoso sustained critical injuries after falling during a jump on Saturday, breaching two safety nets and colliding with a fence. He was initially hospitalized in Santiago and placed in a medically induced coma,but doctors were unable to save his life. The loss marks a second tragedy for Italian skiing within a year, raising renewed concerns about athlete safety.
A promising talent in his youth, Franzoso achieved fourth place in the downhill at the 2020 Junior World Championships and won a super-G race in the European Cup in 2021. While he competed in 17 World Cup events, his best result was a 28th-place finish in a super-G race in 2023.
“ItS a tragedy for his family and for our sport,” said FISI chairman Flavio Roda, referencing the death of fellow italian skier Matilde Lorenzi last October. “It is absolutely necessary to do everything to prevent these kinds of accidents.”
Lorenzi, 19, died from injuries sustained in a training fall. Italy is scheduled to host the Winter Olympics next year, though Franzoso was not considered a likely participant, having not ranked among the top ten Italian skiers in world Cup competitions last season.