Cyprien Sarrazin in his element. © APA/afp / JOE KLAMAR

Sarrazin's doctor: "I don't know if he will ski again"

France's ski racer Cyprien Sarrazin faces a long road back to a normal life after his serious training crash in Bormio, Italy, with a brain injury.

04 January 2025

From: dpa

The 30-year-old has difficulty communicating, suffers from double vision and his eye reflexes are disturbed due to the excess pressure in his skull, said team doctor Stéphane Bulle in a video conference. "All of this can be rehabilitated, as can the fact that you can perform everyday gestures again, sit down, stand, eat," explained the doctor.

Sarrazin fell on the notorious Stelvio slope in Bormio on December 27th and was rescued by helicopter. That same evening he was operated on in a hospital in Sondalo for a subdural hematoma, a bleeding near the brain. A hole was drilled in his head to drain the blood. He awoke from the artificial coma last Saturday.

Return to skiing open

The speed specialist, who had won the downhill races in Bormio and twice in Kitzbühel, among others, was transferred to a neurosurgical hospital in Lyon, which specializes in functional rehabilitation and reintegration, on Friday a week after his accident.

"He is fine, but he is still very tired and has difficulty communicating. He is relieved to be back in France and is fully aware of what happened to him," reported Bulle. An MRI scan had previously been performed to rule out complications for transport to France.

Fans support the Frenchman in his recovery. © APA/afp / FABRICE COFFRINI

It is currently unclear whether and when Sarrazin will return to the Alpine Ski World Cup. "We are not talking about knee surgery here, but about something serious in the brain. I don't know whether Cyprien will ski again, but in any case we will do everything at the federal level to ensure that he returns, we will be there to support him," said the team doctor.