Alpine Skiingmen's world cup
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The poignant message of the transalpine champion, who broke the fibula of his right ankle in the controversial slalom in Zagreb. Next week the surgery and months off: "Getting hurt for the first time in 20 years practically skiing on grass must make you think".
Friday 7 January 2022 7 minutes reading time
Victor Muffat-Jeandet saw everything vanish like this, in an instant, in the course of an absurd race that, after a few more descents without any sense in sporting terms and which only brought dangers to the athletes.
The Zagreb slalom staged yesterday cost the rest of the season and participation in the Beijing 2022 Olympic Games for the transalpine veteran who, in PyeongChang 2018, won the combined bronze medal. The right ankle that cracks, in the middle of the holes of a Crveni Spust in disastrous conditions, and the diagnosis that means months of stop: fibula fracture and a lot of anger for an injury that could have been avoided, and how, if it had not gone further at any cost.
The 32-year-old from Val d''Isère, this evening, with a cool head, told his thoughts via social media. Hard as stone, bitter, but true and full of passion for that world of snow that VMJ will see on the slopes for a few months, before returning to its place in the next season, that of the World Championships close to home, in Courchevel-Méribel. “All the work of months and months, hours on skis, in the gym, working, sweating, suffering ... suddenly evaporates. It gave way under my support, I was off balance and my right ski got completely stuck in uneven snow; I immediately felt a big lever, a sensation in the boot and the fibula broke.
I will have an operation next week by Dr. Sonnery Cottet, who already took care of me 10 years ago for my knee; he will put screws to consolidate the fracture and therefore I will not be on skis for several months. Definitely this season he never wanted me to express myself fully, but I have always accepted the risks and injuries inherent in my profession and my passion. I go giant, speed, I have had sprains, fractures, operations, it could have happened anywhere, anytime, it could have been much more serious. It is certain, however, that getting seriously injured in the slalom, for the first time in 20 years, on a track where the bib 19 ends up skiing on the grass, makes us reflect ...
Very few know and realize all the efforts, investments and rigor that one must have daily for many years to compete at these levels. Not even the FIS knows! He hasn't really cared and respected athletes and all the people around him for a while. There is the management of the races as on this occasion (cancellation then no, then wait, then postponement to tomorrow, then it snows on the salty but let's go, then cancels again ...), but also many other examples: the calendar with 4-5 series races in a week with aberrant movements if you don't have a jet or a helicopter, hours of overnight travel for the staff.
It is very complicated for us to judge and act on competition days like yesterday, everyone is in their own bubble and cannot see the evolution of things, we have faith in the work that is being done at that moment. We are here to race and if they send us to the track, we think the conditions are good. We discussed Wednesday under the impetus of the disastrous weather, the opinions were very different but yesterday (for the repetition of the slalom) we were more confident, the weather was milder and we were less aware of the situation. The solution could come from an external representative who could decide on their own with established criteria.
What worries and raises questions is that our staff, with limited numbers and means, prepares us for training on better and less dangerous tracks than those we have sometimes encountered in recent years in the World Cup, especially because there isn't any. plus a real preparation manager like Hans Pieren, who took his responsibilities before sending any athlete to the race. Thanks to everyone, on site or remotely, for the wave of love, support and kindness, I love and will still love my sport. Strength and courage to all my friends on the circuit ”.
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