Sofia Goggia details dual viral infection that delays return to skiing

Training interruption in Ushuaia

Italian alpine ski racer Sofia Goggia announced that a dual viral infection forced her to break off her pre-season training in South America, leaving her status for the upcoming World Cup season uncertain. Speaking to Sky Sport at the Festival dello Sport in Trento, the 33-year-old athlete explained that she had traveled to Ushuaia, Argentina, marking her fourteenth pre-season camp in the region. Although her on-snow training initially went smoothly with strong and fast runs, severe and abnormal joint pain soon disrupted her schedule. The intense physical discomfort differed significantly from standard training fatigue that she usually manages with anti-inflammatory medication. On 12 September, escalating symptoms prompted her to cut short the training camp and return to Italy for comprehensive medical evaluations.

In Ushuaia I started skiing. I was skiing well and fast as usual, happy to be in Argentina skiing for my fourteenth time. Then I began experiencing particularly strong, intense, and strange joint pains, compared to the usual aches that I have and manage with anti-inflammatories.

Clinical diagnosis in Milan

Following her return to Italy, Goggia underwent medical tests at Casa di Cura La Madonnina and the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan to identify the underlying cause of her condition. Laboratory blood tests reconstructed a sequence of two separate infections. Physicians determined that she was first infected with the Chikungunya virus after being bitten by an infected mosquito. On the tail of that illness, she contracted Parvovirus B19, a pathogen rarely diagnosed in adult patients because it typically infects young children. The combination of both viruses produced significant joint pain, marked exhaustion, and neurological complications that affected her physical stability and muscular control.

Lingering neurological symptoms and recovery

Goggia disclosed that her initial health warnings appeared well before her Argentine trip, recalling a sudden collapse in energy levels during July that she initially attributed to summer heat and heavy physical conditioning. As the infections progressed, she experienced noticeable leg weakness, tremors, and impaired motor coordination, to the point where she struggled to walk normally or climb stairs. While she confirmed that the acute stage of the illness has now passed, she noted that the recovery process remains inconsistent, with days of improved vitality followed by days of severe exhaustion. Because no specific antiviral treatment exists for the condition, medical management relies entirely on rest and gradual physical recovery.

I cannot make plans, I need time to get over the consequences of the virus.

Uncertainty over World Cup schedule

The prolonged recovery leaves Goggia without a definitive timetable for returning to competitive skiing. The Alpine Ski World Cup season is scheduled to open in Sölden, Austria, on 24 October, while the first women's downhill race of the winter is set for 11 December in Beaver Creek in the United States. Goggia stated that returning to racing will require complete mental clarity and full motor coordination before she can safely handle competitive speeds on downhill courses. While she reaffirmed her commitment to recover and compete at her previous level, she emphasized that she will not rush the rehabilitation timeline until her physical health is fully restored.