A tragic accident at the Milano Ice Skating Arena on Friday night, February 20, left short-track speed skater Kamila Sellier of Poland to leave her competition midway. The Polish skater was performing at the women’s 500 meters race at the ongoing Winter Games 2026 when she suffered a sharp cut above her left eye from one of her competitor’s blades. The race was paused, and she was immediately rushed to the hospital on a stretcher. Sellier left the Arena while giving a thumbs-up to the crowd.
Besides Sellier, 15-time Olympic medallist Ariana Fontana of Italy also suffered a minor injury in the event. Meanwhile, American skater Kristen Santos-Griswold was given a penalty for performing an illegal lane pass that caused the accident. With that, she lost her qualification for the quarterfinals round.
Updating on Sellier’s condition, Polish officials said she was fine and had some tests done. Before leaving for the hospital, she had to get some stitches done on the injured area. Meanwhile, Fontana suffered a small cut on her skinsuit and received some help on her left hip from her physiotherapist after the incident. She ended up finishing in second place after Belgium’s Hanne Desmet went through the semifinals round and went past into the final round after defeating Zhang Chutong.
After the race resumed, Kim Gilli finished with gold, South Korean Choi Minjeong claimed silver, while American Corinne Stoddard ended with bronze.
Fontana entered the 1,500 event as the reigning Olympic silver medalist. She has a gold medal in the 2,000-meter mixed relay and silver in both 500 meters and 3,000-meter relay, won in the previous season of the Milan Cortina Games.
Sellier’s end in women’s 1,500 quarterfinals
Ranked 20th in the world, Sellier’s accident occurred as the skaters were fighting for a position while performing a turn with six laps remaining. During the turn, Kristen attempted an illegal lane pass and clashed with Sellier, who also took down Italy’s Fontana. Sellier’s protective glasses were knocked down during the fall, and with her eyes unprotected, she suffered a deep cut above the left one.
Officials rushed to the scene immediately and brought down a white sheet, providing the medical staff the working space on the ice. Minutes later, she was placed on the stretcher and carried inside the arena, where she got her stitches done.
With the incident, Sellier lost her chance to compete at the Milano Cortina Games 2026. Her stitches will heal, but her dreams have shattered.
