Is Italy’s Olympic ski jump too dangerous?

A disastrous test weekend on the renovated Olympic ski jumps in Predazzo (Val di Fiemme) has raised acute safety concerns ahead of the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Games. Over two days of Summer Grand Prix competitions on plastic mats, three athletes suffered serious knee injuries (ACL ruptures): Austria’s Eva Pinkelnig, Canada’s former world champion Alexandria Loutitt, and Japan’s Nordic combined athlete Haruka Kasai. For Pinkelnig (37) and Loutitt (21), the injuries mean missing the Olympics.

In response, the Austrian team skipped the large hill competition entirely, citing safety concerns. German jumpers completed the events, and Katharina Schmid tried to keep her spirits up, joking that she had “survived the competitions, the facilities were tested, and honestly—the view alone would make me come back.”

Team leaders and coaches, however, are demanding action from the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS). They argue that two of the three ACL injuries occurred on the smaller (normal) hill and point to design problems. German Ski Association sport director Horst Hüttel called the normal hill profile “not successful,” adding that many athletes and coaches are disappointed by a new hill that failed to meet expectations. He said organizers are already attempting tweaks—such as slightly reducing the take-off table angle—but warned there is limited room for changes, and that the FIS faces clear pressure to act.

Equipment rules also came under scrutiny. Compared with last season, tighter suits led to higher inrun speeds and greater landing forces, which coaches believe contributed to crashes. Germany’s head coach Heinz Kuttin described a “bitter aftertaste” and said the current set-up shows they are “not on the right path.” Officials expect the FIS’s autumn meetings in Zurich this week to address both hill geometry and suit regulations.

The Predazzo debate adds to a broader string of controversies surrounding Olympic venues in Italy, notably the costly and disputed bobsleigh/luge track project in Cortina d’Ampezzo. With several top athletes now sidelined months before the Games, stakeholders are pressing for immediate safety improvements to prevent further injuries when Olympic medals are on the line in February.