Tommaso Sala, a scare during practice: the season is in jeopardy

Bad news for the Italian national alpine skiing team on the eve of the first men’s slalom of the World Cup season. Tommaso Sala was injured during a training session in Gurgl, Austria, and his status for the rest of the season is now in doubt. There are fears that the slalom skier from Brianza may have suffered a cruciate ligament injury, a problem that risks putting him back in a situation he already experienced two years ago.

The incident occurred on Sunday, November 8, during a training session on the Austrian slope. A few gates after the start, Sala felt pain in his right knee and was forced to stop at the side of the course without even falling.

Initial examinations conducted in Sölden revealed a sprain in his right knee. The FISI Medical Commission will now conduct a more thorough evaluation in the coming days. A cruciate ligament injury is suspected, but further tests will be needed to determine the extent of the injury and the recovery timeline.

For the 31-year-old Fiamme Oro athlete, this is potentially another setback following his serious injury in November 2024. On November 21 of that year, during a training session in Val Senales, Sala suffered a torn cruciate ligament in his left knee, keeping him out of competition for an extended period.

After rehabilitation, he managed to return to competition in November 2025, resuming his career on the top international circuit. Now the Italian athlete risks facing another long recovery period.

Meanwhile, technical director Massimo Carca has officially announced the seven athletes selected for the men’s slalom in Levi, Finland, scheduled for Sunday, November 15. Italy will be represented by Alex Vinatzer, Tommaso Saccardi, Matteo Canins, Edoardo Saracco, Tobias Kastlunger, Corrado Barbera, and Matteo Bendotti, who has been called up to replace Sala.