Lindsey Vonn, considered one of the best alpine skiers of all time, suffered a violent, high-speed crash Saturday during a run on the slopes at Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy, on the first full day of the 2026 Winter Olympics. The 41-year-old, 82-time World Cup winner underwent a second surgery in less than 24 hours on her broken left leg, according to a report by the international news agency Reuters.
The purpose of the second operation, which was carried out on Monday following an initial operation Sunday according to the Swiss newspaper Blick, was to “prevent complications linked to swelling and blood flow,” Reuters reported.
The report noted that the Ca’ Foncello Hospital in Treviso, Italy, announced that the first surgery had been conducted on Sunday, but had not acknowledged the second surgical procedure. Reuters attributed its report to a source.
Vonn was racing in the Olympics despite suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her left leg on January 30 in a World Cup race. Vonn chose to compete in the Olympics even with the injury, which has led to discussion about whether the recent injury might have played a role in Vonn’s Sunday disaster.
Vonn’s Ski Racing Future in Serious Doubt
As of Monday evening, Central European Time, neither the hospital nor any of Vonn’s representatives have issued any further updates on the fallen skier’s condition, or whether the second surgery was successful in stabilizing the swelling and circulation in Vonn’s leg, conditions that put her future as a competitive skier in doubt, as well as the health of her leg even for everyday use.
On Sunday, the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team issued a statement saying, âLindsey Vonn sustained an injury, but is in stable condition and in good hands with a team of American and Italian physicians.â
“Her personal physician was present, but only assisted. Italian surgeons performed the procedure, it was further stated,” according to the Blick report on Vonn’s surgery. “According to the source, the U.S. team visited several hospitals. Some were closer than the one in Treviso, but they chose the Treviso hospital because it has a neurosurgical department. This department was deemed best equipped to treat the complexity of Vonn’s injury.”
Vonn has a lengthy history of injuries to both knees as well as ankle, arm and hand injuries. The knee injuries caused her to retire from competitive skiing in 2019, but after a partial replacement of her right knee in 2024, she began a comeback that was cut short on Sunday.
GettyLindsey Vonn addresses reporters during a press conference as questions swirl about her knee injury and Olympic future.
Speculation Around ACL Injury and Subsequent Crash
Prior to her crash on Sunday, one online sports injury doctor â Dr. David Chao of Sports Injury Central â issued a public warning to Vonn, saying that the âvery high forces, high speeds, and extreme conditionsâ of Olympic skiing posed a danger to Vonn if she indeed planned to compete with the torn ACL in her left knee, adding, “I fear it may not end as well for Lindsey Vonn.”
It did not.
On Monday another sports injury expert, Dr. Jesse Morse, said that in his view, the instability in Vonn’s left knee contributed to her calamitous crash.
“When you understand the biomechanics, and physics of the body and subsequent injuries that change those, then you can say confidently, without a doubt that Lindsey Vonnâs left ACL tear played a role in todayâs crash,” Morse wrote on Sunday.
GettyUS’ Lindsey Vonn is transported by helicopter after crashing in the women’s downhill event during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre in Cortina d’Ampezzo on February 8, 2026.
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