CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, ITALY, Feb 10 (Reuters) - International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) president Johan Eliasch said on Tuesday he hoped to see Lindsey Vonn back on skis soon after the American great revealed she had suffered a complex tibia fracture in her Olympic downhill crash.
Vonn, 41, crashed 13 seconds into Sunday’s race at the Milano-Cortina Winter Games and said on social media that the injury, though currently stable, would need several surgeries to repair. The gold medal was won by her U.S. teammate Breezy Johnson.
“We all wish Lindsey a full and speedy recovery and hope to see her on skis again soon,” Eliasch told reporters.
In an Instagram post on Monday, Vonn said she had “no regrets” about racing despite a recent anterior cruciate ligament rupture and other past injuries, insisting they were unrelated to the crash.
Vonn had been chasing history in Cortina, aiming to become the oldest Alpine skiing medallist in Olympic history after a strong comeback season that included two World Cup downhill wins and podium finishes in her other starts.
She still leads the downhill standings and could yet claim the discipline's crystal globe despite her season being over.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot, editing by Ed Osmond)
