Olympic star Federica Brignone sparks fears she could be forced into retirement despite two gold medals at Milano Cortina 2026 - 'Fed up with pain'
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Published 26/02/2026 at 20:14 GMT
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Federica Brignone, who won two gold medals for Italy at their home Winter Olympics, says she has considered retirement because of the pain endured in lighting up Milano Cortina 2026. Brignone followed up her victory in the women’s Super-G by taking gold in the giant slalom but the 35-year-old is not optimistic about her competitive future on the slopes.
Brignone 'speechless' as remarkable comeback ends in super-G gold
Video credit: TNT Sports
Double Olympic ski champion Federica Brignone has said that she may have to consider her future in the sport following her victories at the Milano Cortina 2026 Games.
Brignone sealed a golden double on home snow in Cortina d'Ampezzo, adding the giant slalom crown to the super-G title she had captured just days earlier.
But 10 months earlier, a devastating crash at the Italian Championships left the Italian skier - affectionately nicknamed The Tiger - with multiple leg fractures and a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Brignone refused to be defeated, saying earlier this month that the secret to her giant slalom gold lay not in expectation but liberation.
Free from the weight of pressure, a sense of complete freedom carried her to victory - but in an emotional interview, the 35-year-old has now said that the injuries sustained in the process of fulfilling her dreams could be irreversible.
Brignone said: "It doesn’t need to be torture, otherwise I have no intention of throwing myself down at 130 km/h. I'm aware that we're dealing with permanent damage and that I will have to live with it.
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Watch Brignone's wondrous winning run to seal double gold - 'She wouldn't have dreamt this!'
Video credit: TNT Sports
"Our bodies get used to everything and as the years go by it will improve, but the injury will stay for life. If it does not improve, it is unlikely you will see me next year.
"It all depends on my state of health [the desire to continue]. If it becomes torture I will struggle, if it doesn’t improve it will be difficult to see me next year. I haven’t made a decision. I don’t feel like I want to stop yet, but I am also fed up with feeling bad and in pain every day. Sometimes I get excruciating stabbing pains and that’s not nice."
Before her fall last April, Brignone had ranked among the favourites for Olympic glory.
What followed was a gruelling rehabilitation: 292 days away from competition, two operations and an uncertain road back.
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Watch: 'The dream scenario!' - Brignone revels in wondrous golden double
Video credit: TNT Sports
Her return to snow in late November marked the end of a long recovery and the beginning of a remarkable resurgence.
On the Olimpia delle Tofane piste, Brignone laid the foundations for gold with a commanding first run.
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With a 0.62-second winning margin separating her from the field, she approached her second descent with composure rather than risk, controlling her advantage with the assurance of a seasoned champion.
"It was incredible to win at the Games but also tough after 10 months like that and I wanted to put it all behind me," Brignone continued.
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Watch Brignone's 'monster' run that grabbed her memorable super-G gold
Video credit: TNT Sports
"I still find what happened incredible, with two gold medals, it was madness, and even now that I have soaked it all in, I’m even more surprised.
"The message that came through is that we are the architects of our own destiny, that is important. Even though I did all of this as a personal challenge. I have always liked to challenge myself."
The Italian added of her post-Games experience: "We decided to come here to Andorra, which is one of my favourite places, after they drained my knee last Monday and filled it with hyaluronic acid.
"Honestly, I was hoping to feel better, but I’m still struggling. I am in a lot of pain, I’m struggling to put weight on the skis and that is why you didn’t see me on the practice run today. Like I’ve always said, I will evaluate the situation day by day."
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