Kamila Sellier Breaks Silence From Hospital Bed After Blade Slices Her Face at Milan Cortina Olympics

MILAN, Italy — Polish short-track speed skater Kamila Sellier is recovering in a hospital after suffering one of the most shocking injuries seen at a Winter Games in years. On Friday, February 20 ET, the 25-year-old was stretchered off the ice at the Milano Ice Skating Arena after a competitor's blade struck her just beneath her left eye during the women's 1,500-meter short-track quarterfinals. On Saturday, Kamila Sellier broke her silence from a hospital bed — and her message was one of strength and gratitude that has since moved fans around the world.

What Happened: The Crash That Stopped the Olympics

Kamila Sellier had been leading the sixth quarterfinal heat with nine laps remaining when the collision unfolded. American skater Kristen Santos-Griswold attempted an illegal lane pass, triggering a chain reaction that brought down three competitors: Sellier, Santos-Griswold herself, and Italian legend Arianna Fontana — a 15-time Olympic medalist who escaped serious harm.

As Santos-Griswold lost her balance, her blade swung upward and caught Sellier just beneath the left eye, the impact also dislodging the Polish athlete's protective eyewear. Sellier had been leading the race when the accident sent her skidding across the ice as blood streamed down her cheek.

Officials immediately halted the race. Medical staff surrounded Kamila Sellier behind a large white privacy screen — blocking the packed arena crowd from seeing the severity of the wound — and the ice surface had to be cleaned before competition could resume. Santos-Griswold was disqualified from the race and barred from advancing to the semifinals as a result of the illegal maneuver.

Surgery Confirmed: CT Scan Revealed a Fracture

What initially appeared to be a deep laceration turned out to be far more serious. Sellier received stitches at the arena before being transported to hospital, where CT scans uncovered a minor fracture, prompting surgeons to reopen the wound for a thorough examination of the bone. After the procedure, Kamila Sellier remained in the hospital overnight for observation, with further assessments scheduled to examine her eye movement and determine whether her zygomatic bone had sustained additional damage.

Polish Olympic Committee president Konrad Niedzwiecki confirmed Saturday morning that Sellier had woken with considerable swelling after limited sleep. Despite the severity of the injury, the 25-year-old was described by officials as remarkably composed throughout — Sellier gave a thumbs-up to the crowd as she was wheeled away on the stretcher, and Polish officials confirmed her eye appeared to be okay.

Kamila Sellier's Hospital Message Goes Viral

On Saturday, February 21 ET, Kamila Sellier posted a selfie to Instagram from her hospital bed — dressed in a hospital gown, hiding the injured left side of her face, and making a small heart with her thumb and index finger. The message she wrote alongside the photo immediately went viral.

"I know that one day I'll look at this picture and remember that I'm stronger than I ever believed," Sellier wrote. "Thank you for all your words of support."

Her husband, fellow speed skater Diané Sellier, 24, also posted an emotional message of his own. Diané Sellier wrote via Instagram Stories: "Everyone please send positive energy for [a] good recovery of my wife, who had a terrible crash at the Olympics." The couple married in May 2025.

Ice Conditions Under Scrutiny After the Crash

The incident quickly sparked a larger conversation about the state of the ice surface at the Milano Ice Skating Arena. The venue served as both the short-track speed skating and figure skating venue throughout the Games, and after two weeks of blades tearing up the ice, the surface appeared to be deteriorating significantly by the final evening of competition. The hottest day yet of the Milan Olympics coincided with Friday's session, with temperatures soaring to 18°C — raising questions about ice integrity at the critical final stage of the tournament.

The combination of extreme heat, heavy shared use of the venue, and high-speed racing creates conditions where blade crashes become exponentially more dangerous. Officials have not yet issued a formal statement on the ice surface, but the broader discussion about arena infrastructure and athlete safety is expected to continue well beyond the closing ceremony.

Who Is Kamila Sellier?

Kamila Sellier had been in impressive form heading into Milan, having claimed a silver medal in the 2000m mixed relay at the European short-track speed skating championships in January 2026. She had been one of Poland's brightest medal hopes in the discipline and was leading her quarterfinal heat at the moment of the collision — underscoring exactly what was taken from her when the crash occurred.

Santos-Griswold Reacts With Visible Emotion

The American skater at the center of the crash did not emerge from the incident unscathed emotionally. Reports from the arena indicated that Kristen Santos-Griswold was visibly emotional upon being informed by officials of the extent of Kamila Sellier's condition. Santos-Griswold, 31, of Connecticut, had no history of malicious skating and the disqualification was the result of a racing infraction — not intentional contact. No further disciplinary action has been announced as of Sunday morning ET.

The Road Ahead for Kamila Sellier

Kamila Sellier's Olympic journey in Milan ended in a hospital room rather than on the podium. But the response from the global sports community — and from Sellier herself — has been extraordinary. Her composure, her thumbs-up on the stretcher, and her hospital selfie have become some of the defining human images of the 2026 Winter Games. Doctors will conduct further assessments in the coming days to evaluate eye movement and bone damage before determining a timeline for her return to competition.

For now, the entire speed skating world is watching and waiting — and Kamila Sellier has already made it clear she plans to come back stronger.