Winter Olympics 2026: Lindsey Vonn disputes doctor's knee injury claim

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy – In a display of grit that has left the skiing world both stunned and divided, American alpine legend Lindsey Vonn is defying medical expectations by posting elite-level training times at the 2026 Winter Olympics, just one week after a devastating crash that she confirms left her with a "100% gone" anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

The 41-year-old veteran's remarkable performance on the formidable Olimpia delle Tofane course has ignited a public debate with a sports medicine doctor, who questioned the severity and timing of the injury. Vonn, however, remains laser-focused, letting her skiing do the talking as she prepares for what could be the final downhill race of her storied Olympic career.

The Heart of the Dispute: A Medical Debate on Social Media

The controversy began after Vonn completed her first training run in Cortina, showing surprising speed and stability. This prompted Dr. Brian Sutterer, a respected sports medicine physician, to speculate on social media about the nature of Vonn's injury.

Dr. Sutterer questioned whether the ACL tear was truly a "fresh" injury from last week's World Cup crash in Switzerland, which saw Vonn airlifted from the course. He suggested that her ability to perform at such a high level so quickly might indicate a pre-existing condition.

• The Doctor's Hypothesis: Dr. Sutterer theorized that Vonn may have been functioning with a chronically deficient ACL prior to the crash. He wrote, "What she is doing now would not be nearly as surprising in an elite athlete whose knee was already functioning like the ACL was torn at baseline." He added that in cases of chronic tears, "the body has time to adapt and retrain muscles to support the knee," potentially leading to less swelling and pain after a re-injury.

Vonn issued a swift and direct rebuttal to the doctor's public post, unequivocally clarifying the state of her knee.

• Vonn's Rebuttal: The 2010 Olympic downhill champion dismissed the speculation, confirming the acute nature of her injury. "Lol thanks doc," she replied. "My ACL was fully functioning until last Friday. Just because it seems impossible to you doesn't mean it's not possible. And yes, my ACL is 100% ruptured. Not 80% or 50%. It's 100% gone."

A Career Defined by Resilience

Vonn's entire career has been a testament to her extraordinary ability to overcome physical adversity. Her current situation, while dramatic, is set against a long and well-documented history of severe injuries and improbable comebacks.

The Vonn Legacy

Lindsey Vonn is widely regarded as the greatest female ski racer of all time. Her career is decorated with 82 World Cup victories, an all-time record for a female skier. Her defining Olympic moment came at the Vancouver 2010 Games, where she won the gold medal in the downhill, the first-ever American woman to do so.

A History of Injuries

To understand Vonn's current performance is to understand her history with the physical toll of her sport. Her medical chart is a catalogue of the high-stakes risks of alpine racing.

• Previous Knee Trauma: Vonn has torn the ACL in her right knee multiple times, requiring major reconstructive surgeries that have sidelined her for entire seasons.
• Catastrophic Crashes: She has also suffered a litany of other injuries, including a severely fractured humerus bone in her arm, a tibial plateau fracture in her knee, and numerous concussions and broken bones.
• The Comeback Narrative: Each major injury was followed by a grueling rehabilitation process and a successful return to the top of the sport, cementing her reputation for superhuman pain tolerance and determination.

Understanding the Injury

The anterior cruciate ligament is one of the four main ligaments that provide stability to the knee joint. A full rupture, as Vonn describes, typically means the knee is unable to withstand the immense rotational forces and impacts inherent in downhill ski racing.

For most athletes, a 100% ACL tear is a season-ending, if not career-ending, injury that requires surgery and 9-12 months of rehabilitation. Competing at an Olympic level without a functioning ACL is considered by most medical professionals to be nearly impossible and exceptionally risky.

Defying Expectations on the Slopes

Despite the medical debate and the physical reality of her injury, Vonn’s performance in two official training sessions has been nothing short of world-class, positioning her as a genuine contender.

The training runs took place in challenging conditions, with weather and a difficult snow surface disrupting the sessions for many competitors.

• Friday's Run: In her first test on the Olympic course, Vonn clocked the third-fastest time of the day. She was just 1.39 seconds behind the leader, an astonishing result for an athlete just days post-injury.
• Saturday's Improvement: Vonn found even more speed in the second session. She completed the demanding course in one minute, 38.28 seconds. This was more than six seconds faster than her first run and placed her only 0.37 seconds behind the day's fastest skier, her American compatriot Breezy Johnson.

The Road Ahead: Downhill and Beyond

All eyes are now on Sunday's marquee event, the women's downhill competition. Vonn is confirmed on the start list, but her participation in subsequent Olympic events remains in question.

• Immediate Focus: Vonn's primary goal is Sunday's downhill. Her training times suggest she has the pace to challenge for a medal, which would be a storybook ending to her Olympic journey.
• Future Uncertainty: She has stated that she is uncertain whether she will be able to compete in the super-G and the team events scheduled for later in the Games. The decision will likely depend on how her knee responds to the immense stress of the downhill race.

Whether she reaches the podium or not, Vonn's presence in the starting gate on Sunday will be a final, powerful statement of her enduring will to compete against all odds. Her performance is already a victory of spirit, challenging conventional wisdom in sports medicine and adding one last, incredible chapter to an unforgettable career.