Knee surgery ends Olympic season for Lara Gut-Behrami

Lara Gut-Behrami will miss the rest of the Olympic season due to a serious knee injury she suffered during a training accident in the United States, the Swiss ski star said on Thursday.

Gut-Behrami, 34, was due to become the reigning Olympic super-G champion in Cortina d'Ampezzo in February and planned to retire when the season ends in March.

She suffered the injury while training for a super-G in Copper Mountain, Colorado, last week and has now confirmed earlier reports of torn left knee ligaments and meniscus damage.

“I believe that a knee injury, no matter how complex, cannot be considered a tragedy,” Gut-Behrami said in a statement, noting the recent deaths of young skiers involved in training accidents.

The two-time overall world champion faces surgery next week and has not officially retired, saying she will wait to see what the future holds once the injury has healed.

The Cortina Olympics in Milan would have been Gut-Behrami's fourth Winter Games to feature women's alpine skiing, where she won gold in the super-G and giant slalom at the 2021 World Championships, as well as bronze in the downhill.

WATCH | Gut-Behrami won the last giant slalom of the 2024/25 season:

Lara Gut-Behrami wins the final women's giant slalom of the season

Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland won the women's super-G on Sunday and made it second with a win in the giant slalom in Sun Valley, Idaho, in a total time of 2:10.01.