Skiing star crashes: overambitious or exemplary?
Top skier Lindsey Vonn has crashed and suffered a serious injury in the women's downhill event at the Winter Olympics. The 41-year-old American decided to compete in Cortina d'Ampezzo despite a torn cruciate ligament and a partial prosthesis in her knee. Commentators discuss whether the criticism this decision triggered was justified.
Vonn is inspiring
The Neue Zürcher Zeitung defends Vonn:
“Critics were quick to respond after her latest fall, saying, for example, that she was encouraging other skiers to ignore the dangers. But her Olympic start was not intended to be a plea for recklessness. Nor was it an attempt to encourage others to continue pushing their bodies despite an injury. Rather, her appearance conveyed the overarching message that life is about getting out of the comfort zone. Vonn inspires us not to give up too quickly just because something is considered impossible or doesn't conform to the norm.”
Setting a bad example
Vonn's track record shows that health should come before medals, Le Temps comments:
“In an Olympic season where there is much talk about the example set by athletes and the inspiration they can provide, it must be acknowledged that Lindsey Vonn has gone too far. ... Like [tennis star] Rafael Nadal, who resorted to injections so that he could play. ... Like mountaineers who stick to their plan to climb a certain peak even though the weather forecast is unfavourable. Like enthusiasts of all sports who would rather take painkillers than take a break. ... Sport contributes to health, yes, but without health it is nothing. There comes a point when it's no longer stubbornness that defines a strong character, but the ability to give up.”
Under fire for her success
Any gloating is uncalled for, says Der Spiegel:
“Vonn, 41, made the decision to compete despite a torn cruciate ligament. It's her body. ... Vocal criticism of her career, which has had lots of highs and a few lows, has accompanied Vonn for many years. Most of it has been and continues to be expressed by men. ... When Vonn highlighted Ingemar Stenmark's World Cup record (86 victories) as her ultimate goal before her first retirement in 2019, people said she was overambitious. When she walked the catwalks of the world or revealed details of her private life, she was accused of pushing herself too much into the public eye. Lindsey Vonn is targeted in this way primarily because she is a successful and popular woman.”