Lindsey Vonn hits back at doctor who raised doubts over ACL rupture

Lindsey Vonn has forcefully dismissed suggestions from a sports doctor questioning the severity of her recent knee injury, ahead of Sunday's Olympic downhill race.

The veteran skier, 41, is determined to compete despite a "100% ruptured" anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

The exchange unfolded on social media platform X, where sports medicine doctor Brian Sutterer implied Vonn's ACL tear might not be as acute as widely believed, without diminishing her overall achievement.

"What was the state of her ACL before the crash last week?" he queried. "What she is doing now would not be nearly as surprising in an elite athlete whose knee was already functioning like the ACL was torn at baseline.

“When you hear stories about 'So and so played for years on a torn ACL', that's chronic, meaning the body has time to adapt and retrain muscles to support the knee."

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Vonn, who currently leads the World Cup downhill standings and has secured two victories this season, swiftly responded to the doctor's comments.

"Lol thanks doc. My ACL was fully functioning until last Friday. Just because it seems impossible to you doesn't mean it's not possible. And yes, my ACL is 100% ruptured. Not 80% or 50%. It's 100% gone."

The US Alpine ski legend sustained the injury to her left knee during a downhill crash in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.

Despite the setback, she has pledged to race on Sunday, equipped with a knee brace. Vonn has also shared videos of herself performing squats and box jumps, demonstrating her rapid recovery.

Her commitment was further evidenced by her participation in Friday's training session, where she recorded the 11th-fastest time without any apparent difficulty. She is scheduled to train again on Saturday.

"Course looks good today, snow is a lot more firm. Should run quite a bit faster," Vonn posted online.

Coach Aksel Lund Svindal, a double Olympic gold medallist for Norway, has expressed confidence that Vonn could still secure a medal.

Vonn has a well-documented history of injuries, including multiple knee surgeries, and made her comeback in 2024 after a six-year hiatus and partial knee replacement surgery.

Her first ACL injury occurred in 2007, and she missed the Sochi 2014 Games following another partial tear to her right knee.