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Debate on dangerous ski training courses flares at the start of Olympic season

On the fringe of the World Cup season-opening races in Austria last weekend, FIS President Johan Eliasch said the federation was working to prevent accidents by improving scheduling, medical staffing, netting, and snow preparation.
Training courses often lack race-grade safety because financial limits make full protection costly, especially for smaller national federations, though Eliasch said FIS distributed nearly 100 million over four years to support members.
Mikaela Shiffrin recalled that she returned weeks after a crash last year causing severe abdominal injuries and lingering PTSD, while Alexis Pinturault warned many training sites are 100% unsafe at speeds of 80-90 kph.
The Italian Winter Sports Federation demanded FIS set up race-standard training courses globally, while officials warned safety cannot rely on local ski resorts and called for coordinated national and FIS support.
The string of recent fatalities includes a 25-year-old Italian who died after crashing through two safety fences at La Parva and hitting a wooden fence outside the course, as experts say more nets alone won’t solve training risks.

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Al Jazeera

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Olympic ski season opening marred by dangerous course debate

Debate on dangerous ski training courses flares at start of Olympic season, five months ahead of Milan Cortina Games.

9 hours ago·Qatar

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Associated Press News

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Debate on dangerous ski training courses flares at the start of Olympic season

Mikaela Shiffrin was even more alert to the potential dangers of training courses when the American star started skiing again after her terrifying crash last year.

14 hours ago·United States

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