Lindsey Vonn disclosed that she sustained a complex fracture to her tibia, an injury she says will necessitate several surgeries for proper recovery, following her crash during the women’s downhill at the Olympics on Sunday. The American skier’s pursuit of another Olympic medal was cut short early in the race after a high-speed fall. Television footage captured Vonn’s audible distress, and the scene visibly unsettled onlookers and competitors. Medical staff transported her by helicopter to a hospital for immediate care.

Heading into the race, Vonn was already dealing with a recently ruptured ACL, an injury she incurred just a week prior.

In a message shared on Instagram Monday, Vonn explained, “I was simply 5 inches too tight on my line when my right arm hooked inside of the gate, twisting me and resulted in my crash. My ACL and past injuries had nothing to do with my crash whatsoever.”

She also emphasized she stood by her choice to participate in the competition. “Knowing I stood there having a chance to win was a victory in and of itself. I also knew that racing was a risk. It always was and always will be an incredibly dangerous sport,” Vonn wrote.

The decision to compete while recovering from a knee injury sparked debate on social media, with some questioning if she should have raced. Yet, prominent voices from the skiing community swiftly came to her defense.

Keely Cashman, a member of the US ski team, addressed the criticism on Monday. “People that don’t know ski racing don’t really understand what happened yesterday,” Cashman said. “She hooked her arm on the gate, which twisted her around. She was going probably 70mph, and so that twists your body around.”

Having endured a significant crash herself five years ago, Cashman insisted that Vonn’s accident was unrelated to her knee issues. She stated, “It had nothing to do with her ACL, nothing to do with her knee,” adding that those suggesting otherwise are “totally incorrect.” Cashman remarked further, “I think a lot of people are ridiculing that, and a lot of people don’t [know] what’s going on.”

Vonn’s participation at this level represented a remarkable return to world-class competition, as she came out of a six-year retirement in 2025 following knee replacement surgery. Despite doubts about whether she could perform at the top again, Vonn made the podium in every World Cup downhill race she entered this season, picking up two wins. Her decision to compete at the Olympics, even after tearing her ACL in late January, led some to voice concerns about her safety in pursuit of a second Olympic title.

Italian skier Federica Brignone, a two-time world champion, pushed back against the criticism. “It’s her choice,” Brignone said. “If it’s your body, then you decide what to do, whether to race or not. It’s not up to others. Only you.”

Another US teammate, Kyle Negomir, supported Vonn’s autonomy in making the call to race. “Lindsey’s a grown woman and the best speed skier to ever do this sport. If she made her decision, I think she should absolutely be allowed to take that risk,” Negomir asserted. “She’s obviously good enough that she’s capable of pulling it off.”

Conversely, Vonn’s father, Alan Kildow, who has also competed in ski racing, voiced his belief that it is time for her to step away from the sport. “She’s 41 years old, and this is the end of her career,” Kildow told the Associated Press on Monday. “There will be no more ski races for Lindsey Vonn, as long as I have anything to say about it.”

Currently, Kildow and Vonn’s three siblings remain with her at the hospital in Treviso as she begins her recovery.