Downhill skier in bad luck:

“I’ve lost what I love again”

Erik Arvidsson is an integral part of the US ski team.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

The infirmary in the ski circus is getting bigger: US downhill racer Erik Arvidsson had to go under the knife and will therefore miss the speed races in Wengen. "I've lost what I love again," says the 28-year-old with an emotional message from the hospital.

"Instead of being in the starting gate at the Lauberhorn race this week, I unfortunately have to go under the knife again," writes Arvidsson under his latest Instagram post. It shows the US boy in his hospital bed.

But what happened? "During a training run in Beaver Creek at the beginning of December, I twisted my knee. At the time, we suspected that my cruciate ligament, which had been operated on twelve months ago, had become a little irritated," explains Arvidsson. Nevertheless, he competed in both Beaver Creek and Val Gardena/Gröden. In Val Gardena/Gröden he at least managed to finish in the points in 23rd place.

Swelling after training in Bormio
But the bad news came a few days later. After training in Bormio, his knee swelled up again, resulting in an MRI scan. The bitter diagnosis: his repaired cruciate ligament had torn again. "'Heartbreaking' doesn't even begin to describe how it feels to work tirelessly for twelve months to get back to the starting gate, to do what you love, only to lose it again in the most unfair way possible," says Arvidsson, who continues to be dogged by injury misfortune.