Is the behavior of skiers increasingly reckless?
After numerous dramatic accidents that have occurred on the ski slopes in Savoie in recent weeks, the father of a child hit head-on by a skier on February 8 is sounding the alarm.
Nicolas R. calls for stricter rules on the slopes and suggests withdrawing the ski pass from skiers who are too dangerous.
This father from the Var also requested the support of the President of the Republic.
Read alsoWinter sports: ski accidents are increasing on the slopes
Tuesday February 8, in Bonneval-sur-Arc (Savoie), Antoine, 7 years old, and his brother Jules, 8 years old, are accompanied by their father Nicolas R. to the ski school.
"
It's a flat place, reserved for children, where you have to move very slowly
," says the father to
Figaro
.
While they are stopped in front of the ESF nets, a 16-year-old skier hits his son Antoine head-on.
“
It was a very, very violent shock.
His older brother, who was present, thought he was dead
, ”says Nicolas R. According to the gendarmes, the culprit was skiing at 50 km / h.
He wouldn't have lost control of his skis.
The consequences of the collision are very serious.
“
My son
had multiple facial fractures and especially a head trauma with brain damage.
He spent four days in intensive care.
Back home, in the Var, the little boy is recovering slowly.
“
Physically he comes out of it almost unscathed, but Antoine is psychologically traumatized
”, testifies Nicolas R.
“He jumps at the slightest noise and remains in hypervigilance”
, he adds.
With his wife, they called on a psychologist to help him.
Avoidable accidents
So that such tragedies do not happen again, Nicolas R. calls for strong measures to strengthen security.
He believes that dangerous skiers should be deprived of their passes.
The teenager who injured his son had already been reprimanded twice by a monitor.
“
The day before, he almost hit a young girl.
If the trackers had the prerogatives to be able to withdraw the pass from an unconscious skier, my son would not have been hospitalized in intensive care the next day
, "says Nicolas R.
Read alsoThe groomers, these convicts who take care of the slopes and the skiers
This father wants to alert public opinion in order to change the rules.
He spoke to the Savoyard deputy, Émilie Bonnivard, herself a ski instructor.
Contacted by
Le Figaro,
the elected official says that people are skiing faster and faster, because the equipment is more efficient and safer.
"
Without an elaborate technique, before we could not ski
", she underlines.
"
As on the roads, there is uncivil behavior on the slopes and too many novice skiers ignore the safety rules
", concludes Émilie Bonnivard.
Read alsoBiathlon, this customs sport that has become a winter star
Similarly, Emmanuel Macron took note of his complaint.
He announced to Nicolas R. to mandate the Ministry of Sports and seize the local elected officials.
“
In January, a 5-year-old girl was less fortunate than my son.
In Haute-Savoie, she was fatally struck while she was taking a ski lesson,”
he laments.
