Tragedy struck the Italian alpine skiing team on Monday, 15 September, with the death of speed specialist Matteo Franzoso confirmed by the Italian Winter Sports Federation (FISI), following a severe crash in training at the Chilean ski resort of La Parva on Saturday, 13 September.
Franzoso, aged 25 at the time of his passing, had been training with other members of the Italian alpine skiing team in preparation for the 2025/2026 season at the time of his accident.
An official statement from FISI stated that he suffered a serious head injury during a fall in training, which saw him crash through two rows of netting and hit a fence further off the course.
The 25-year-old was immediately rescued following the incident and airlifted to a hospital in Santiago, Chile. There, he was kept in intensive care and placed in a medically induced coma while his condition was assessed.
Sadly, he was unable to recover from the damage caused by the head injury, which resulted in cerebral oedema. He passed away two days later.
“It is a tragedy for the family and for our sport,” commented FISI President Flavio Roda. “A tragedy that brings us back to the mood of just under a year ago, when Matilde Lorenzi passed away.”
“It is absolutely necessary to do everything possible to ensure that such accidents never happen again.”
“At this sad and painful time, I want to tell all athletes and coaches, in all sports, that the Federation is by their side and that they will find all the support they need. I ask for the utmost respect for Matteo’s family, whom we will stand by for as long as necessary.”
Born in 1999, Franzoso grew up skiing in Sestriere, Italy. He made a name for himself in alpine skiing’s speed events – downhill, super-G and combined – earning a fourth place finish in the downhill at the 2020 Junior World Championships in Narvik, Norway.
A talented skier, he’d been part of Italy’s World Cup team since 2021, when he made his debut on the senior circuit at the super-G in Val Gardena. In total, he competed in 17 World Cup races before his passing on Monday (15 September).