The 34 visibly lost consciousness after clipping a gate and falling, so the diagnosis comes as no surprise.

The Swiss was airlifted to safety and is now back in Switzerland, following checks in a Canadian hospital. 

Caviezel suffered no other injuries despite cuts and bruises in the crash, according to Swiss-Ski.

However, given this was Caviezel's first race in more than 19 months because of past head trauma, it remains to be seen whether he will be cleared to return to the circuit and could be out for some time.

Caviezel took to Instagram after the crash to say he "will be pretty again", posting a picture with brother Gino.

Caviezel won the super-G crystal globe for the 2019-2020 season.

His lone World Cup victory came the next season, in a super-G race at Val d'Isère.

How to minimise the risk of and best treat brain injuries is an issue facing a wide range of sports, but increasingly relevant in skiing and snowboard disciplines.

In 2018, Canadian Olympic downhill gold medallist Kerrin Lee-Gartner announced she would be donating her brain to science as, then 51, Lee-Gartner said she had suffered multiple concussions and still experienced symptoms including migraines and vision problems.

Gretchen Bleiler, who won a halfpipe snowboard medal for the United States at Turin 2006, has also campaigned for concussion awareness and says she can count at least six from her snowboarding career.