Russian female skater, 35, seriously injured in Youth Olympic Games opening ceremony rehearsal accident

Sylvia

Sylvia

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She's not yet been identified by name :(:
www.theguardian.com

Skater badly injured in Olympic ceremony rehearsal accident

A female skater was severely injured after falling to the ice from about 16 feet during a rehearsal for the opening ceremony of the Youth Winter Olympics
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
A female skater was severely injured after falling to the ice from about 16 feet during a rehearsal for the opening ceremony of the Youth Winter Olympics in Lausanne, police said Wednesday.
The 35-year-old Russian woman’s life is in danger, police in the canton of Vaud said. An investigation into Tuesday’s incident is being led by police in the city of Lausanne.
Police said the woman was being hoisted by a cable attached to the ceiling of the main hockey stadium in Lausanne. The skater suddenly lost balance and fell.
The inquiry must try to establish “the reasons, the circumstances and possible responsibilities in this accident,” police said.
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ETA link to official statement by IOC/Lausanne 2020 LOC:
www.olympic.org

IOC and Lausanne 2020 statement on Opening Ceremony rehearsal accident - Olympic News

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Lausanne 2020 are saddened to hear of an accident suffered by a performing artist during the Opening Ceremony rehearsal for the Youth Olympic Games Lausanne 2020 that took place yesterday (7 January).
www.olympic.org www.olympic.org
"The performing artist suffered the accident [yesterday Jan. 7] at the Vaudoise Arena, after which she was evacuated to the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) where she underwent treatment."

The police statement quoted in The Sun said she is a "Russian skater, resident in Germany."
 
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One Russian sports-site says this skater is originally from Russia, but is a resident of Germany, and can't post her name.
In the comments some say it sounds like Nelli Zhiganshina, but she is only 32 (not 35), so the age does not match.

An official is stating that it was not an equipment issue, but the skater herself lost balance.
Here is one copy:
www.thesun.co.uk

Ice skater critically injured after 15ft fall at Youth Olympic Games rehearsal

A FEMALE ice skater is fighting for her life after a horror 15ft fall during a rehearsal for the opening ceremony of the Youth Olympic Games. The 35-year-old woman, who has not been named, is repor…
www.thesun.co.uk www.thesun.co.uk
"A criminal investigation has now been launched following the shock scenes at Vaudoise Arena in Lausanne, Switzerland, where the Games start tomorrow.

Police spokeswoman Olivia Cutruzzola said there was no fault with the system in place and that the accident appeared to be the fault of the performer."

She said: "The system has not given up, it is the skater who has been unbalanced."
 
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This is such sad news to hear. Sending my condolences to her family and friends, and my prayers for the critically injured skater. It's not a great idea to gossip about names in the absence of any released information. Surely all family members of this individual must be contacted in order to prevent anyone close to her learning of the terrible accident secondhand. The tragic circumstance is bad enough without someone close to her hearing about it randomly.
 
The event officials say that ceremony will take place with this exhibition number, but the part which caused the accident will be changed/adjusted.
www.bote.ch

Unfall bei Olympischen Jugendspielen

Bei den Vorbereitungen zur Eröffnungsfeier der Olympischen Jugendspiele in Lausanne ist eine Frau am Dienstag lebensgefährlich verletzt worden. Die 35-jährige russische Eiskunstläuferin stürzte aus fünf Metern Höhe auf den Boden der Eishalle Vaudoise Aréna in Malley.
www.bote.ch www.bote.ch
Der Teil der Show, an dem das Opfer beteiligt gewesen wäre, werde nun angepasst.
 
Michalle said:
Horrifying. I don't understand why they are commenting on the system vs. the skater while her life is still in danger. Leave that for later. All my most positive thoughts toward her and her recovery.
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Because along side with her medical treatment, there is also a police investigation taking place (which is normal in such accidents, where fault or cause needs to be determined). The comments about "equipment" from the police is a result of this investigation at present and it had to be reported.
 
Um, maybe people are "gossiping" about the name of the skater because they know someone who fits the description, and are worried about whether the injured skater is that person. I don't think people are just throwing names around to stir the pot.
 
Brief update via AFP:

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The condition of a figure skater seriously injured during practice for the opening ceremony of the 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games has improved, Olympic chief Thomas Bach said Thursday.
The skater was taken to hospital and her life was "in danger" after a heavy fall Tuesday during the practice session, Swiss police said.
The skater, a 35-year-old Russian who lives in Germany, fell five metres (16 feet) onto the ice during final preparations at the Vaudoise Arena in Lausanne, where the youth Games ceremony will open later Thursday.
"We have been told that her condition has improved a little," Bach told a press conference.
Police said that the skater was attached to rings above the ice when the accident happened, causing "serious injuries."
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millyskate said:
Thanks for sharing. I'm glad she pulled through but it sounds like there's a long road ahead.
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Yes I was quite concerned that we had not heard anything about her...not even her name. So glad she survived but yes a long road ahead having to learn from scratch everything but she seems to be ready to motor ahead. It will a very expensive recuperation.
 
Jeschke said:
They are showing footage of the actual accident? Good lord! 🆘
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Kind of. You see the hoop that she's working on drop down, and you see her fall from it. You don't see her hit the ice, you don't see her laying on the ice. It only shows the clearly mechanical error that led to her fall. She did not slip or lose her balance.

Hopefully she's getting some income from the interviews, and continued media presence will force Art on Ice and the IOC start paying for her rehabilitation and lost wages.
 
alj5 said:
Hopefully she's getting some income from the interviews, and continued media presence will force Art on Ice and the IOC start paying for her rehabilitation and lost wages.
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The event should have had insurance that would cover at least some of her expenses - if not, good grief, what appalling management! Though I could understand if insurance payout/s alone didn't cover everything given the extent of her injuries. I really hope she's able to get the funds she needs for her rehab and doesn't have to rely on for-crying-out-loud crowdfunding. Nobody should have to do that.
 
Re:insurances, it's a big part of the report. Art on Ice says that every artist has to have his/her own insurance, AoI doesn't cover anything - they say it's always been like that, and that it's the same everywhere in every show. The Youth Olympics committee is waiting for the results of the police investigation.
Art on Ice hast paid Olga's fee (CHF 1500.-) and AoI + organizing committee covered the stay of her husband in the hotel near the hospital till the end of January. That seems to be it so far.
Olga did/does have a private insurance back in Russia but they say that it won't cover everything because Switzerland is obviously very expensive. But to be honest she has been treated in one of the very best hospitals in the country and she might not be where she is now had she been treated somewhere else.

Re:showing the fall (or not really), that TV program mostly focuses on cases that need investigations and want people to realize that it's not always black and white. Here, they apparently wanted to show that the "she lost balance" argument that was put forward since the beginning doesn't seem to hold any truth. Her husband is quite clear on that. What really breaks my heart (beyond the accident itself) is that it's their 4-year-old daughter who was holding the phone and filming (the husband was responsible for getting the hoop up and down).

I don't know if she got any income from Swiss TV, but it seems that a lot of people in Switzerland donated to the crowd funding since Sunday (and big amounts). So there's at least that.
 
Celine82 said:
Re:insurances, it's a big part of the report. Art on Ice says that every artist has to have his/her own insurance, AoI doesn't cover anything - they say it's always been like that, and that it's the same everywhere in every show.
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This is the most shocking part for me. Is it really like this in every show? Do skaters have to have their own insurance for Stars On Ice or any of the other shows in Japan for example? It seems completely irresponsible for a show production to not insure the skaters and also hard to believe - I mean as far as I know if I'm a viewer that came to see the show and I accidentally fall and injure myself they can be held liable for it (the venue management and the production company). So when they employ people (not just skaters or acrobats, any other person who worked for them) they are responsible for their well being. I'm not sure if maybe the laws are different in Switzerland, but the way Art On Ice are brushing off their responsibility will hopefully become a bigger issue and one that hopefully will discourage performers from working with them.
 
angi said:
This is the most shocking part for me. Is it really like this in every show?
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In most cases, the performers in a show like this are considered independent contractors and not employees. I guess that makes sense if you are talking about a show that will only be performed once.

However, the show itself should have some kind of liability insurance.

Which means you now have insurance companies :argue: over who pays out for what. (I've been there before and it's not fun.)
 
angi said:
This is the most shocking part for me. Is it really like this in every show? Do skaters have to have their own insurance for Stars On Ice or any of the other shows in Japan for example? It seems completely irresponsible for a show production to not insure the skaters and also hard to believe - I mean as far as I know if I'm a viewer that came to see the show and I accidentally fall and injure myself they can be held liable for it (the venue management and the production company). So when they employ people (not just skaters or acrobats, any other person who worked for them) they are responsible for their well being. I'm not sure if maybe the laws are different in Switzerland, but the way Art On Ice are brushing off their responsibility will hopefully become a bigger issue and one that hopefully will discourage performers from working with them.
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In Switzerland, insurance -illness AND accident- is mandatory. And yes, according to my souvenirs here and there, when you sign the contract, it's written in it that you HAVE your own insurance. It's like if you were a company by yourself. It is your own responsability.

Now, in that case, if the investigation concludes to a technical problem, the insurance of the ICO should reimburse the Russian insurance and pay all the fees + compensation. But we are in Switzerland, so the amont, for the compensation, will be quite "small"if you compare with what it could be in the USA.
 
For those interested, Swiss TV just aired a follow-up on Olga.

www.rts.ch

Mise au Point été 2020 - Play RTS

Mise au Point vous accueille dans sa rédaction: enquête sur le prêtre condamné pour abus sexuel sur mineurs qui vivait libre en Valais /Qu’est devenue Olga, la patineuse grièvement blessée avant les JOJ? /Journalistes MAP: regardez leur bureau vous comprendrez leur travail
www.rts.ch www.rts.ch

At 20:33 they show the footage aired in February, and at 33:00 there's the update. In short:

  • She and her husband flew back to St.Petersburg mid-March, just before the borders closed.
  • Given the situation with the virus, she can't get proper treatment at the moment, her husband has to help her do the therapy at home.
  • Her condition is slowly improving, but she still has a long way to go (she shows the lack of flexibility in her right hand, says she still sees double when she looks to the right and often feels dizzy "as if you're drunk")
  • Their 4-year-old daughter who saw and filmed the accident is traumatized but apparently they still haven't been able to get her professional help (probably due to the lockdown, too)
  • The organizing committee of the Youth Olympic Games 2020 paid/donated CHF 75000.-. The investigation is still going on, but already ruled out that the problem came from Olga's equipment itself (although there could have been a failure in how it was set up in the rink).

ETA: Aw, and there are new donations being made at the moment on her gofundme (I'm guessing from people who saw the TV report).
 
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