One year ago, we lived through the tragedy of Matteo Franzoso: an accident at La Parva that should never have happened

A place that always takes us back to that day, when the entire Italian skiing world was plunged into the tragedy surrounding Matteo Franzoso.

Saturday, September 13, 2025: La Parva and that course so ideal for summer training that all the top national teams are back there again, during this Chilean winter as well, including the World Cup Azzurri, who today will have an extra thought as they return to exactly one year ago. A young man who would have turned 26 three days after the accident that should never have happened, considering that the fence Matteo hit at extremely high speed, far too close to the edge of the course and the safety nets on that downhill section, has naturally now been removed.

A great deal has been said, but so far little has been done, even though the FIS has partially heeded the athletes' warning by setting up a project—effectively proposed to the international federation by the Italian federation itself—for the mandatory homologation of training courses, because that is where the greatest dangers arise.

The Ligurian speed skier passed away 48 hours later, on Monday, September 15, at a clinic in Santiago, Chile, with his brother Michele having immediately flown overseas and his parents Marcello and Olga keeping vigil over him until the funeral, held a few days later in Sestriere.

Matteo must always be remembered, through concrete action, as must Matilde Lorenzi and all the other young people who have lost their lives on the slopes, for reasons related to safety, which cannot and must not be an optional extra, but the absolute priority.