injury

Lindsey Vonn is less than two months removed from a skiing accident at the Milan-Cortina Olympics that almost resulted in the amputation of her left leg.

She has stopped taking painkillers but is still exhausted.

She is back home in Park City, Utah, but spends nearly all of her time in rehab.

She is 41 and has won four overall World Cup championships, with 84 World Cup wins and three Olympic medals, including gold in the downhill at the 2010 Vancouver Games.

Yet, Vonn would not definitively say that her competitive skiing career is over, during a recent interview with Vanity Fair’s Elise Taylor.

“I don’t like to close the door on anything, because you just never know what’s going to happen,” said Vonn, who appears on the magazine’s cover in a long, black dress with a split that shows her left leg — bandages and all.

“I have no idea what my life will be like in two years or three years or four years. I could have two kids by then. I could have no kids and want to race again. I could live in Europe. I could be doing anything.”

She added: “It’s hard to tell with this injury. It’s so [messed] up.”

Vonn, who returned to racing in late 2024 after nearly six years away from the sport, had two victories and three other podium finishes in her five World Cup races during the most recent season. In December, Vonn announced she would be competing in her “5th and final Olympics!”

“I wanted to win the Olympics, and I wanted to win the downhill title, and I was on track to do both of those things,” Vonn told Vanity Fair.

On Jan. 30, Vonn suffered a complete rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee, with meniscus and bone damage, when she crashed during a downhill race in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.

She decided to compete at the Olympics anyway and had a couple of successful training runs leading up to the Feb. 8 downhill competition.

“I was in the exact mental state that I wanted to be in,” Vonn said. “I was ready to go.”

Unfortunately, her race didn’t last long. Vonn lost control on the first jump, spun sideways in the air, slammed to the ground and needed to be airlifted from the course. Vonn and other skiing experts have said that the ruptured ACL likely had nothing to do with her crash at the Olympics.

Vonn suffered a complex tibia fracture and other major damage. It contributed to a condition called compartment syndrome, which involves excessive pressure building up inside a muscle and possibly can lead to permanent injury or amputation.

Five surgeries later, Vonn is on the road to recovery. She has posted several photos and videos on Instagram as she amps up her fitness routine again. In a March 15 post on X, Vonn wrote that she’s not ready to discuss her skiing future.

“My focus has been on recovering from my injury and getting back to normal life,” she wrote, adding, “I’ll let you know when I decide.”

Vonn did tell Vanity Fair that she’s not crazy about the idea of the catastrophe at the Winter Games being the public’s last impression of her as a skier.

“I don’t want people to hang on this crash and be remembered for that. What I did before the Olympics has never been done before. I was number one in the standings. No one remembers that I was winning.”

Comic and television host Stephen Colbert knows the feeling William Person recounts in his new lawsuit alleging that USA Bobsled/Skeleton was negligent by concealing knowledge that the repeated sub-concussive blows sledders endure could cause permanent brain damage.

Shortly after taking a bobsled run with Team USA in Lake Placid, N.Y., in 2009, Colbert described the experience.

“It felt like I was being hit in the head with ice hammers,” he said . “It was like losing the worst snowball fight of your life.”

Person can relate, according to his attorneys, who wrote in the suit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court that the symptoms of brain injury have a name among bobsled and skeleton athletes : “Sled Head.”

“This action seeks justice for a decorated American athlete who, in his pursuit of Olympic glory, was knowingly sacrificed to a silent epidemic of brain injury,” the court filing said.

Person says he experienced chronic headaches, migraines, fogginess, vertigo and blackouts during his career.

“[He] currently suffers from traumatic brain injury and latent neurodegenerative disease,” the filing said. “Memory loss, cognitive decline, emotional instability, and chronic pain. These injuries have required, and will continue to require, extensive medical care.”

The action is the second brought on behalf of Person, who competed internationally for the United States from 1999 to 2007. He filed a lawsuit in December 2021 that asked USA Bobsled/Skeleton to implement a medical monitoring system to identify and treat sledders with sled head symptoms.

That lawsuit, which languished in court for five years, included a class-action component and accumulated several hundred plaintiffs. Person’s new lawyers, Kamau Edwards and Christopher Perry, are taking a different approach. They plan to file separate lawsuits and seek monetary damages for each plaintiff based on their circumstances and diagnosis.

Edwards and Perry also added new defendants. In addition to USA Bobsled/Skeleton, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, Anschutz Southern California Sports Complex and former bobsledding supervisor Tracy Lamb are named.

Anschutz owns the Home Depot Center, where the U.S. bobsled and skeleton teams train. The lawsuit says the venue is responsible for premises liability and Lamb for negligent hiring and supervision.

The defendants have yet to be served with the lawsuit and declined to comment. Once served, they will have 30 days to respond through the court.

Edwards and Perry also filed personal injury lawsuits last week on behalf of two other former USA sledders — Joe Sisson and Rick Baird. Through their court filings, both recount head injuries sustained while sledding and lingering symptoms.

The New York Times published stories several years ago about former bobsled and skeleton athletes who struggled with symptoms similar to what Person, Sisson and Baird describe. A handful were posthumously diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the progressive, degenerative brain disease found in people with a history of repetitive head impacts.

Dr. Ann McKee, director of Boston University’s CTE Center, studied the brain of former Olympic bobsledder Pavle Jovanovic, who killed himself in 2020 at 43, and determined he had CTE.

Jovanovic wasn’t the first elite bobsledder to commit suicide. Steven Holcomb, who piloted the American bobsled known as the “Night Train” to the Olympic gold medal in 2010, was found dead in Lake Placid, N.Y., in 2017 from an apparent overdose of alcohol and sleeping pills.

Also, Sisson’s sledding mentor Travis Bell killed himself in 2012 at 27 after experiencing years of debilitating symptoms that Sisson believes stemmed from his career as a driver on the U.S. bobsled team.

“I’ve got survivor’s guilt big time,” Sisson told the New York Times in 2022.

Person’s lawsuit alleges that Lamb and USABS coaches witnessed his symptoms during training sessions but failed to intervene.

“They did not pull [Person] from the sled. They did not refer him for a neurological evaluation. They did not institute a concussion protocol,” the lawyers wrote. “Instead, fostering a culture of silence, they encouraged [him] to continue training through the injury, exacerbating the damage to his brain.”

The lawsuit asserts that the link between sledding and brain injury has been known since the 1980s and that officials intentionally concealed the information because “a full disclosure of the risks of CTE and permanent brain damage would deter top-tier athletes like [Person} from competing,” the suit said. “By suppressing this information, they robbed [him] of his ability to make an informed choice about his own life and health.”

Person was a track and field athlete at Weber State in Utah when he was recruited by USA Bobsled/Skeleton. He represented the United States in the America’s Cup, World Cup, Olympic Trials and World Championships from 1999 through 2007.

The dangers of sliding sports took center stage at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics when 11 crashes occurred in two days of bobsled training ahead of the Games. Gold medal bobsled favorite Beat Hefti of Switzerland suffered a concussion and luger Nodar Kumaritashvili died after being ejected from the track at nearly 90 mph during the final training run.

JESSIE J has been rushed to hospital following a car injury which left her with fears she’d ‘broken her neck’.

The singer, 37, has undergone an MRI scan following the incident as she updated fans on her health scare.

Jessie is currently in China for her No Secrets Tour and suffered an unlikely injury after hitting her head on the roof of a car. 

Taking to Instagram, the Price Tag hitmaker shared a clip of her climbing into a black vehicle at her latest concert, whilst admitting she “didn’t mind squashing in the back”.

The video then cuts to Jessie in hospital undergoing an MRI scan after suffering the neck injury.

In an additional update, whilst backstage at one of her shows, Jessie goes on to relay the severity of her condition. 

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She said: “Yeah, I just can’t move my head. I’m alright. I’ll just have to take some painkillers and march right through it.”

“I thought I’d broken my neck, but I haven’t. But I have really hurt my neck and my back.”

Later, shots show the star trying on a stunning gold jumpsuit and embracing her young son Sky. 

Jessie didn’t let the injury stop her putting on a stellar performance as she’s filmed singing her iconic tracks on stage.

Fans flocked to the comments with messages of love and well wishes for the singer.

One user penned: “Take care of yourself (heart emoji)”

“And yet nobody noticed until you told us you hurt yourself!! POPSTARRRR mode was activated,” added another.

A third chimed: “Feel better soon girl you are such a vibe even if you are in pain such an awesome human being.”

“Sending you lots of love and light (heart emoji)” wrote a fourth.

The music star was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and shared news of her early-stage diagnosis publicly via social media in June 2025.

Jessie underwent two surgeries during her health battle, which included a mastectomy that same year.

In August, she was taken to hospital with an infection and fluid on her lungs six weeks post-surgery.

But the star now seems to be doing well and is back performing shows just under a year since her diagnosis.

Callender was co-captain for last year’s two-Test series against Australia – leading the side to a historic first win Down Under – and the World Cup in England.

The 25-year-old overcame an ankle injury to feature in the tournament but then needed surgery after Wales’ early exit.

She returned for Harlequins at the end of January and it is believed to be a fresh injury and not a relapse.

Williams, who made her Test debut against Ireland in 2023, shared the captaincy duties and has been chosen as the leader for the Six Nations.

Lynn said: “Kate Williams has the respect of the whole squad, and her leadership skills means she will be Wales captain for this Six Nations campaign.”

Wales lost all five games of last year’s championship, condemning them to a second Wooden Spoon on the bounce.

Chelsea defender Reece James could be out for weeks with a hamstring injury, says head coach Liam Rosenior.

The Chelsea captain will miss his side’s Champions League home match against Paris St‑Germain, following their 5-2 first‑leg defeat in France.

An exact time frame was not given, but when asked whether it could be that James misses a number weeks, Rosenior replied “it could be”.

The 26‑year‑old may miss the upcoming England internationals later this month, with Thomas Tuchel’s squad to be announced on Friday.

He sustained the injury in Saturday’s 1-0 Premier League defeat by Newcastle.

“With a hamstring injury, it is never great and for Reece we can hopefully get him scanned, find out the full extent and then we will know more because we know how important he is and what a leader he is in the group,” added Rosenior.

“He felt something in his hamstring at the end of the game against Newcastle. It’s really frustrating and a disappointing one for us. We don’t know the full extent for us but it rules him out for tomorrow.”

James has largely enjoyed an injury‑free season until now after being carefully managed by Chelsea following several disrupted campaigns in recent years. On Friday, he signed a new six‑year contract to keep him at the club until 2032.

Chelsea are also without winger Jamie Gittens, goakeeper Filip Jorgensen and defender Levi Colwill but Brazil forward Estevao Willian returned to training and is in contention having not featured since early February.

Right-back Malo Gusto missed training through illness but could still be available on Tuesday, while winger Pedro Neto is eligible to play after receiving just a warning from Uefa for pushing a ball boy in the closing moments of last week’s defeat at the Parc des Princes.

Rosenior added: “There was no real bad intention, it was just a will to get on with the game so I think Uefa made the right decision.”

Caitlin Clark is excited to make her U.S. national team debut next week when the Americans play in an FIBA World Cup qualifier in Puerto Rico.

It will be Clark’s first game in about eight months since a multitude of injuries derailed her WNBA season with the Indiana Fever in July.

“It’ll probably take me a second to knock a little bit of the rust off,” Clark said Saturday. “I’ll probably be a little bit nervous, which I usually don’t get nervous but that probably comes from I haven’t really played basketball in a while. I’m sure after the first minute of running around on the court, I’ll be just fine. But more than anything, just really excited. I know how much work and how much time I put in to make sure my body’s as healthy as it can be and to get back.”

It’s been quite a journey for Clark, who played in 13 games last season. She had groin injuries and then a bone bruise in her left ankle. She’s been in the gym getting ready, working with the Fever medical team and player developmental staff over the last few months.

“I’ve always been a person that’s going to just rely on my work. I feel like it’s certainly made me work harder,” Clark said of the injuries. “But that’s also probably the part that kind of stunk about it, is I felt like I put in so much time and so much energy going into last season, and then obviously, only appeared in about 13 games.”

Clark has fond memories of playing with younger USA Basketball teams. She recalled being in Colorado Springs in her teens and going into a room filled with jerseys of past American greats.

“My eyes were so wide, thought it was the coolest thing in the world of all,” she said. “[To see] the senior national jerseys of great men’s players and women’s players. It’s a 15- or 16-year-old’s dream of doing that one day.”

Clark knows this is just her first step with the national team. There was an uproar when she didn’t make the 2024 Paris Olympic team. She eyes playing on the World Cup team next fall and then in Los Angeles on the 2028 Olympic squad.

“There’s a lot to get to that point,” she said. “Obviously that’s my goal, the World Cup before that. There’s a lot for me to learn.”

Feinberg writes for the Associated Press.

On the day news broke that Kyler Murray had been informed his services would no longer be needed in Arizona, the longtime Cardinals quarterback sent out a message to the team and its fans that was more than just heartfelt.

It was heart-wrenching.

“I wanted nothing more than to be the one to end the 77 year drought for this organization,” Murray wrote Tuesday on X. “I am sorry I failed us. I wish this community and my brothers nothing but the best.”

A person familiar with the situation told the Associated Press that the Cardinals have told Murray they are letting him go at the beginning of the new league year on March 11. The team has not publicly announced the decision.

The Cardinals have won two NFL championships, both in the pre-Super Bowl era (1925, 1947). Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner led the team to its lone Super Bowl appearance, a 27-23 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers following the 2008 season.

Murray won the 2018 Heisman Trophy with Oklahoma and was drafted by Arizona at No. 1 overall the following spring. He was named the offensive rookie of the year in 2019 and made the Pro Bowl in each of the next two seasons.

Also in 2021, the Cardinals had their only winning season (11-6) and playoff appearance (a 34-11 loss to the Rams in the wild-card round) of Murray’s tenure. Before the 2022 season, Murray signed a $230.5-million, five-year contract extension with the Cardinals that included $160 million guaranteed.

Murray missed at least six games because of injury in three of the last four seasons. In 2025, a foot injury in Week 5 ended up keeping him out for the rest of the season, with backup Jacoby Brissett playing well in his place to create a quarterback controversy.

Murray compiled a record of 38-48-1 over seven seasons, completing 67.1% of his passes for 20,460 yards with 121 touchdowns and 60 interceptions. He has also rushed for 3,193 yards and 32 touchdowns.

“To everyone that supported me and showed kindness to my family and I during my time in AZ, from the bottom of my heart, thank you,” Murray wrote.

Brissett has one season left on his two-year, $12.5-million contract with the Cardinals. Murray, who is owed $36.8 million in guaranteed money next season, joins a free-agent quarterback class that also could include Malik Willis, Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins, Marcus Mariota and others.

“I am no stranger to adversity,” Murray wrote. “I am prepared for whatever’s next. I trust in God and my work ethic. I truly believe my best ball is in front of me and I look forward to proving it.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Brazil’s Real Madrid forward Rodrygo called it “one of the worst days of my life” after he was ruled out for the rest of the season and 2026 World Cup with a serious knee injury.

The 25-year-old’s club said, external he had “been diagnosed with a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament and a rupture of the lateral meniscus of his right leg”.

An ACL injury often leads to footballers missing most – and sometimes all – of a season and recovery can sometimes take even longer.

Rodrygo appeared as a second-half substitute for Real in their defeat by Getafe on Monday, completing the game after coming on in the 55th minute.

It was his first appearance since a late substitute outing for the La Liga club at the start of February.

“One of the worst days of my life, how much I always feared this injury,” Rodrygo wrote in a social media post., external

“Maybe life has been a little cruel to me lately, I don’t know if I deserve this, but what can I complain about? How many wonderful things I’ve experienced that I didn’t deserve either.”

Rodrygo made five appearances for Brazil at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

He added: “A major obstacle has arisen in my life, in my career, which prevents me from doing what I love most for a certain period of time.

“I’m out of the rest of the season with my club and out of the World Cup with my country, a dream that everyone knows how much it means to me. And all I can do is be strong as always, this is nothing new.

“Even though it’s a very difficult time, I promise not to stop here, I believe I still have many incredible things to experience and bring joy to everyone who trusts me.”