Olympic medalist Ledeux missing Milan Cortina due to concussion effects since March

PARIS (AP) — Olympic big air medalist Tess Ledeux has withdrawn from the Milan Cortina Winter Games next month, saying she has not sufficiently recovered from a concussion.

The French freestyle skier, who was second to Eileen Gu at the Beijing Olympics four years ago, has not competed since a crash last March during a World Cup.

Ledeux, a former world champion, said she will miss the entire season to focus on her recovery.

“With the help of the medical staff, I have made the decision to draw a line under my season,” Ledeux said in a social media post on Thursday. “Probably the hardest decision of my life. Because yes… hope was what allowed me to hold on, to keep moving forward, and to get up every morning… This choice is difficult, almost impossible to accept. It feels unfair.”

The 24-year-old Ledeux initially thought she would recover after a few weeks of rest but explained in October that symptoms including fatigue, headaches and dizziness persisted. After consulting multiple specialists, she said she came to realize that “the line between physical and mental injury is very thin.”

Ledeux said she tried every possible option to be able to compete at what would have been her third Olympics, but insisted that her health should come first.

“One thing is certain: I will get through this,” Ledeux added, setting her sights on the 2030 Olympics in France.

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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics