Mikaela Shiffrin had quite a bit to say. © APA/afp / FABRICE COFFRINI

Shiffrin's harsh words about fairness and frustration

The Semmering incident continues to generate discussion in the Alpine Ski World Cup. Following the controversial slalom race at the weekend, Mikaela Shiffrin has now released a detailed statement on Instagram.

30 December 2025

From: do

First, overall World Cup leader Camille Rast and Lara Colturi congratulated Shiffrin on their strong runs. At the same time, Shiffrin made it clear: "Sunday's slalom was not a good image for our sport." A combination of poor decisions and inadequate preparation had led to an extremely unstable course throughout the week. "The slope held up reasonably well for the first few bib numbers, but from number 15, 20, or 30 onwards, the conditions became extreme," Shiffrin explained. For many athletes, the course was therefore borderline and hardly safe to ski.

She was particularly concerned about the mood among the runners. "I spoke with several athletes at the finish line who were frustrated, uncertain, and in some cases even fearful at the start," Shiffrin wrote. The numbers underline this impression: 40 of the 79 starters dropped out in the first heat – the highest number since 1999. A total of 44 dropouts over two heats were "not entertaining, but brutal and difficult to watch." Even though there were no serious injuries, Shiffrin emphasized: "In an inherently risky sport, we must do everything we can to make races as safe, fair, and meaningful as possible."

Check out this post on Instagram

A post shared by MIKAELA SHIFFRIN ⛷�� (@mikaelashiffrin)

Shiffrin also expressed criticism of the last-minute change before the second round. (more details about the incident here)“The adjustment was necessary for safety reasons,” she stated, “but it should have been made before the course inspection – not while the athletes were already on the course.” The situation caused confusion, delays, and questions about fairness. “There was absolutely no intention of gaining an advantage,” Shiffrin clarified. Her appeal is clear: athletes, coaches, federations, and the FIS must work together to prevent such situations in the future.

Approval from within one's own camp

Shiffrin also received support from teammate Paula Moltzan, for whom the weekend in Semmering was anything but successful. The 31-year-old crashed in the giant slalom and was eliminated in the second run of the slalom. In an Instagram post, Moltzan wrote: "Those were some of the most difficult race conditions I've ever seen in the World Cup." In her opinion, the FIS needs clearer and, above all, uniform guidelines for slope preparation. "This isn't just about fairness," Moltzan said, "but about the safety of the athletes."