Lindsey Vonn has been moved into intensive care after she underwent her second surgery following her horror crash at the Winter Olympics
Lindsey Vonn has been moved to intensive care following a second operation on her broken leg.
Vonn, 41, initially had surgery on her broken left leg after brutally crashing out just 13 seconds into her women’s downhill run at the Winter Olympics on Sunday. And, according to reports, she had a second operation on Monday to prevent problems linked to swelling and blood flow.
And after the operation the American skiing icon has been moved to ICU for her privacy, with the Team USA saying she’s stable in a statement after the horror crash that saw her airlifted off the mountain.
JOIN US ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page
Vonn had torn her ACL before the event, but she opted to compete at the games. However, she suffered the crash 13 seconds into her opening run.
The American was initially transported to Codivilla-Putti Olympic Hospital in Cortina d’Ampezzo.
And after three hours of treatment, Vonn was declared fit to make the 30-minute helicopter journey to Ca’ Foncello Hospital in Treviso, where she was operated on for the first time.
International Ski Federation (FIS) chief Johan Eliasch backed Vonn’s decision to take to the start gate, even after the horror crash. He said: “I firmly believe that this has to be decided by the individual. And in her case, she certainly knows her injuries a lot better than anybody else.
“What is also important for people to understand that the accident that she had, she was incredibly unlucky. It was a one in a thousand.
“She got too close to the gate, and she got stuck when she was in the air in the gate and started rotating.”
However, Tina Maze, a former rival of Vonn’s, told Eurosport: “We all know about the obstacles Lindsey has had to overcome in recent days. In my opinion, she took too much of a risk by starting the race here today.
“That’s how such a fall could happen – and if you’re not fit either, the consequences can be even worse. But we all know Lindsey – it was her decision. She really wanted it. That’s terrible.”