Marco Büchel caused a stir with an emotional posting. © Social Media

“It’s scary”: Ski luminary makes illness public

He is one of the greats in skiing, who was known as a daredevil during his active days and raced to the World Cup podium no less than 18 times. Now Marco Büchel is fighting an insidious illness.

25 May 2023

From: det

“For a few months I felt that something was wrong with me. Everything I've learned about my body is suddenly completely out of balance. I couldn’t trust myself anymore”: Marco Büchel’s emotional and depressing post begins with these words. The former ski racer from Liechtenstein is ill – with post-Covid. In the spring of 2022, Büchel, who most recently worked as an expert on German television, caught a corona infection that was to have far-reaching consequences. Because in the past few months, the former giant slalom runner-up has been living through a nightmare.

“I often had headaches, something that had never happened to me before. I could not think clearly. Reading newspaper articles or answering emails became difficult, it overwhelmed me. Some days I had trouble finding the right words in my head and then saying them.”

Suffered until I couldn't anymore

The symptoms were getting worse and worse. “I fell out of my life and went through depressive phases. On the outside you couldn't tell, but inside I was suffering. To the point where it wasn’t possible anymore.”

The former ski racer had numerous tests and analyzes carried out and then received the diagnosis. “It's a relief to finally know what I'm missing. On the other hand, it's scary not knowing whether this will ever stop." But Büchel is also clear: "It could be worse. I can still manage my life on my own and also do sports. But it limits the quality of life. It’s just annoying.”