Federica Brignone and the Olympics, brother-coach Davide speaks out

The serious injury suffered by Federica Brignone during the Italian Alpine Skiing Championships has certainly shocked the entire blue environment, which only a few days after celebrating with her the triumph in the overall World Cup, as well as in the downhill and giant slalom specialty rankings, is questioning the possibility that the Carabiniera from Valle d’Aosta could participate in the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games.

Federica herself has not been more outspoken and even for her brother-coach Davide the time to make a final ruling is far from ripe. “Federica clearly has the’goal of the Olympics in her head – are the words reported by ‘Sport Mediaset’ -, she thinks about it but cannot answer that question because she is an intelligent person. He cannot say three or five days after the’operation what will happen in six months”.

The dream is of a comeback in style like that of Sofia Goggia, who after several months of stop following a training injury in February 2024, returned in December of the same year immediately going on to collect important results. Certainly, these are injuries of different magnitude (Goggia had fractured her tibia and malleolus while Brignone suffered not only a broken bone but also an ACL injury), but the’ambition is to return to racing and winning after the stop.

Brignone herself, leaving the Milan clinic where she underwent the operation, told reporters: “I am not a quitter, it is not in my nature. On the contrary, I think everything that happens in life is a cue, something to learn from, to become a better person and athlete. Even from this ugly situation, I am sure that good and positive things will come out”.