Calls Mount Against Olympics Venue as Skiers’ Brutal Injuries at Ski World Cup Cause Worry: “Risking Their Lives”

The FIS Ski World Cup 2024 is already laced with connections to the upcoming Winter Olympics in 2026. Take Lindsey Vonn, for instance. At 40, the American Alpine skiing legend is back, chasing a spot on Team USA for the Winter Games. For her, the ongoing FIS Ski World Cup race posed the perfect contest to brush up her mastery of the slopes. On the flip side, these World Cup venues are pulling double duty as sneak peeks for 2026. The women’s category?

That’ll play out in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy’s winter wonderland. The men? They’re tackling the slopes in Bormio, with the action kicking off now—December 28 and 29. The women’s showdown, though, doesn’t hit Cortina until mid-January. But here’s where things take a turn. Recent happenings have fans on edge, wondering if smooth slopes or unexpected drama will dominate. What’s been going down?

The Italian snow town is dodging question marks about whether it can even host the Ski World Cup

On December 7, the Bormio FIS Ski World Cup’s Instagram shared an intriguing update about two downhill training races on the infamous Stelvio slope. Widely regarded as one of the most challenging and technical downhill courses in the world, Stelvio is a beast of a track. With a 3,230-meter length, a 986-meter vertical drop, an average incline of 30.9%, and a maximum gradient of 60%, it’s even steeper than the legendary Streif at Kitzbühel. Day one went smoothly, with no injuries, and Cyprien Sarrazin dominated the pack, finishing nearly a second ahead. All eyes were on him to repeat the feat on day two. He started strong, quickly building a half-second lead, but then, out of nowhere, disaster struck.

The ski racing fans couldn’t believe their eyes. They saw the French ski racer falling violently in the way of completing the jump. The force carried him a long distance and threw him on the course. On the slope, his body landed backward and slid through. Sarrazin couldn’t do anything to stop the sliding. The sideways fly in the air made him fall viciously. Moreover, the hit with the slope made him unconscious. His tumbling only stopped after hitting the safety net. The horrific scene in the meantime troubled the fans.

Later, he was airlifted and sent to the nearby hospital. The result from the primary diagnosis claimed the 30-year-old came under the grip of a subdural hematoma. His problematic condition needed operations to remove the blood clot and repair the meninges part. Altogether, the French ski racer might have to spend months undergoing the entire treatment process.

No one could believe to see the 2023 Bormio ski race champion in such a compromised situation. But it wasn’t the end. According to Bormio FIS Ski World Cup’s Instagram post, ski racers like Pietro Zazzi also came under accident on the same slope. The fans have failed to keep calm. They have connected the dots and felt the utter crisis that might jeopardize the Winter Olympics.

The ski racing fans want the venue removed from the schedule

“Stop the race ????????‍♂️ Bormio doesn’t deserve the Olympics…” wrote one frustrated fan in the Instagram comments. While FIS and the local hosts haven’t made any decisions yet, the pressure is mounting. If they don’t cancel the event outright, fans believe the organizers need to step up their safety game. As one concerned commenter put it, “Please protect these kids risking their lives to put on a show.”

Ski racers, fueled by the thrill of competition and leaderboard points, might push past their limits, forgetting safety in the heat of the moment. This is where the hosts need to step in, not only to guide racers on potential risks but also to take notes from other venues. One fan didn’t hold back, offering a blunt suggestion: “With such a sh**** slope, Bormio doesn’t deserve the Olympic Games. Pls take lessons from Kitz great job!”

So, what’s the deal with Kitzbühel? The Austrian Streif is no stranger to controversy, infamous for its brutal angles and a history of wipeouts. Yet, it remains a staple of the FIS Ski World Cup. Meanwhile, Bormio is under fire, with some fans calling for it to be dropped from the 2026 Winter Olympics altogether.

A sharper observation came from another commenter: “There’s a dangerous compression (before the jump) where Sarazzin fell! Don’t do that to the athletes in parts where there’s shadow!” Poor visibility on downhill courses is a known hazard, but it’s something organizers usually monitor closely. Whether that was the case here is up for debate.

And then there’s the elephant in the room: transparency. One fan took aim at what they saw as a lack of accountability, commenting, “Very discreet communication about racers’ accidents. Already in 2023/2024 Too many serious accidents between women and men. This doesn’t stop the FIS leaders ❓❓❓❓❓” They’re not alone—fans are demanding more openness about injuries and stronger safety measures. What do you think? Are these concerns fair, or is the criticism a bit too harsh? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!