By Nick Butler

Maria Komissarova still requires more support as she continues her long recovery from the life-changing crash ©Maria KomissarovaMaria Komissarova, the Russian freestyle skier who broke her spine in a horrific training crash during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games, is still vowing to walk again a year on from her life-changing incident.


Shortly before competing in the ski-cross competition on her home slopes, the then 23-year-old was injured on a series of jumps on the top part of course, undergoing a six-hour operation after fracturing the 12th dorsal vertebrae in her lower-middle back.

She was left paralysed from the waist down, with a prospect of never being able to use her legs again.

Soon after, the Russian travelled to Germany to undergo two months of special neuro-rehabilitation in a hospital in Munich, before seeking more treatment in Marbella, Spain.

A World Cup silver medallist in 2012 considered a major star in the making, her crash generated much international attention, with Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko insisting "no expense would be spared" in aiding her recovery.

She was also visited in hospital by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

But, with the skier opting to remain in Spain rather than return Russia, she is now dependent on raising funds to continue her treatment, with her rehabilitation programme costing $777,791 (£506,000/€682,000).

Maria Komissarova was visited in hospital by Russian President Vladimir Putin shortly after her crash ©AFP/Getty ImagesMaria Komissarova was visited in hospital by Russian President Vladimir Putin shortly after her crash ©AFP/Getty Images



"The Russian Ski Federation did help me out for a while, but that has now stopped, Komissarova told Reuters.

"However, we still get along.

"I still have enough money left for the next three months.

"We hope that we can find support through my website, the treatment is very expensive and I am thankful to everyone who has helped."

More information on how to donate funds can be found via her website here, while the below video has also been produced to raise attention.



Komissarova, who is receiving treatment in a private clinic run by Evgeny Blum, has been told she has a 90 per cent chance of one day walking again, but it is proving a long and painful process a year on.

The Russian currently undergoes rehabilitation work for six or seven hours every day.

"My doctor says I need to blank out everything and that I have a new goal in my life," she told Reuters.

"I need to forget about sport and everything that happened earlier and just look forward.

"Thinking about the past only hinders things and hampers my rehabilitation...

There are about 10 different programmes, which work all the different muscle groups.

"We come back from the clinic in the evening, we get something to eat and then it is already late and we don't have the strength to do anything else."