Alpine skiing: Olympic champion Michelle Gisin ends her career after almost becoming paraplegic

Almost eleven months after her serious fall in training, two-time Olympic ski champion Michelle Gisin has ended her career. The 32-year-old Swiss announced her immediate retirement from competitive sports.

In December 2025, Gisin fell badly during downhill training in St. Moritz. She fell at high speed in front of a left-hand bend, broke through a safety net and came to rest in front of another net. She was taken to a special clinic in Zurich and underwent surgery on her cervical spine that same evening. She narrowly avoided becoming paralyzed. In the fall she suffered further serious injuries to her wrist and knee. She had to undergo multiple operations.

Gisin then remained open as to whether she would return to the World Cup again. She had emphasized that she would have to be on skis again to make the decision. Now she wants to ski again, but no longer at a competitive level.

Gisin was an all-rounder on skis

"It was a long process that took place parallel to my rehabilitation, but also in the years before," said Gisin in a statement from the Swiss association. She is now “very happy” with her decision and is looking forward to the future. After Dominique Gisin and Marc Gisin, the last member of the ski siblings is ending his career.

All-rounder Michelle Gisin celebrated her greatest successes at the Olympic Games. She won gold in the combination in both Pyeongchang in 2018 and Beijing in 2022. In China she also won bronze in the Super-G. There are also two World Cup medals and a World Cup victory in slalom. In the World Cup she was on the podium in all disciplines, a total of 20 times.

For the Swiss women, the retirement of the experienced athlete means the next weakening. The Olympic champion and former overall World Cup champion Lara Gut-Behrami also ended her career.