Austrian skier Matthias Lanzinger had his lower left leg amputated Tuesday due to complications after breaking his shinbone and fibula at a crash in Sunday's World Cup super-G race in Norway.
The double fracture severely damaged blood vessels, which hampered blood circulation in the leg of the 27-year-old skier.
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Organizers of the race in Kvitfjell, Norway, were criticized as there was no medical helicopter available at the event Sunday.
Lanzinger was flown to a hospital in Lillehammer with a tourist helicopter, and was later brought to Oslo.
"The lacking safety measures at these races are shocking," Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer was quoted as saying by the Austria Presse Agency on Tuesday. "I can't understand how a World Cup race could be organized at such a low safety level."
Should the organizers be held legally liable? I mean how do you put on a World Cup super-G and overlook the need for proper medical measures? That's just really absurd.
I think it's hard to say weither it was the main cause, but with any medical emergency, the sooner its treated, the better the outlook. I still can't believe that there wasn't appropriate mediacal facilities available.
Wow. That hurt to watch. Like the guy above me said, the one ski didn't come off and that's pretty much the source of the problem. As long as your skis come off you're fine more often than not.
Austrian skier Lanzinger's lower leg amputated
