Alpine skiing-Italy's Brignone still not sure she will be fit for Olympics

FILE PHOTO: Alpine Skiing - FIS Alpine Ski World Cup - Women's Downhill - Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany - January 25, 2025 Italy's Federica Brignone celebrates on the podium after winning the Women's Downhill REUTERS/Gintare Karpaviciute/File Photo
MILAN (Reuters) -Reigning World Cup overall champion Federica Brignone cast doubts over her participation in next year's Winter Olympics on home snow in Italy two months after she suffered serious injuries.
The 34-year-old, one of Italy's leading medal hopes at the Games, fractured her left leg and tore knee ligaments when she crashed into a gate during a race in the Italian championships.
"I would like to say that I will be present at the next Olympics, but as of today I don't know. I am working for that too, but my health comes first of all," Brignone told reporters in the medical centre in Turin on Tuesday.
"It is difficult to make any predictions, because there are many steps and we don't have any precise schedule," she said, adding that she remained confident and positive.
Brignone, who is walking with clutches, underwent surgery after the crash in April.
"As of today we can rule out a further operation, Federica had a major injury but the ACL is fine," said Andrea Panzeri, president of the medical staff of Italy's winter sports federation.
The 2026 Winter Olympics, co-hosted by Milan and the Alpine town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, run from February 6-22.
(Reporting by Elvira Pollina, editing by Ed Osmond)

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