Freestyle Skier Flora Tabanelli Injured Before Milan-Cortina Olympics

Freestyle skier Flora Tabanelli has been added to the growing list of injured athletes representing Italy ahead of the Milan-Cortina Olympics. The 17-year-old champion was diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee following a training accident earlier this week. This injury comes as a significant setback for Tabanelli, who recently triumphed in the big air event at the world championships and secured the World Cup title in the same discipline.

The injury occurred during a training session, prompting immediate concern from the Italian Winter Sports Federation. In light of the upcoming Olympic season and Tabanelli’s age, the federation announced that she would begin a month of rehabilitation starting Monday, aiming to avoid surgical intervention.

Challenges for Italian Athletes

Tabanelli’s injury adds to the challenges facing the Italian Olympic team. She joins elite Alpine skiers Federica Brignone and Marta Bassino, both of whom are recovering from serious injuries. Brignone suffered multiple fractures in her left leg during a giant slalom crash at the Italian championships in April 2023, while Bassino was sidelined for the season following a lateral fracture of the tibial plateau in her left leg from a crash last month.

Both Brignone and Bassino have been rehabilitating at the Juventus soccer club’s J/Medical facility, where Tabanelli will also carry out her recovery. Brignone is pushing to return in time for the Olympic Games, scheduled from February 6-22, 2026, while Bassino’s season has come to an end.

Tabanelli’s family has a strong presence in the skiing world. Her brother, Miro Tabanelli, is also an accomplished big air skier, having recently won events at the Winter X Games and a World Cup competition in Tignes, France, in March 2023, coinciding with Flora’s victory.

The injury landscape for Italy’s winter sports athletes underscores the intense physical demands of the sport and the high stakes associated with representing their country on an international stage. As Tabanelli embarks on her rehabilitation journey, her fans and the broader skiing community remain hopeful for her swift recovery and return to competition.