Marco Büchel was a daredevil and was one of the best ski racers. Now he is fighting an insidious disease off the slopes.
Munich - Ski racer Marco Büchel raced to the World Cup podium 18 times during his active career and was one of the greats in winter sports. In 2010, the now 51-year-old from Liechtenstein called it quits and has since worked as an expert for ZDF, among other things. But for some time now, he realized that something was wrong with him. He is now making his Long Covid illness public on Instagram.
| Marco Büchel | |
|---|---|
| Age: | 51 years (November 4, 1971) |
| Discipline: | Downhill, Super-G, Giant Slalom, Combined |
| Greatest successes: | 18x World Cup podium, silver at World Championships |
Büchel talks about his Long Covid illness
"For several months, I felt that something was wrong with my health. Everything I learned and knew about my body is somehow completely out of balance. I couldn't trust myself anymore," he begins the long post on social media. He often had headaches, something that had never bothered him before. "I couldn't think clearly anymore."
He also has difficulty getting out of bed on many days. "The strength and power that I once possessed disappeared somewhere," Büchel writes. Not good news for the 51-year-old, who loves the sport and lives to this day. As he reports, he can't imagine "being active, walking around in nature, conquering mountain peaks and challenging myself". However, his stamina and heart rate apparently do not allow all these things at the moment.
Marco Büchel is still active after the end of his career. © Frdric Dubuis/imago
Büchel is struggling with depressive phases due to Long Covid
With the symptoms came depressive phases, but he did not show it to anyone. "I've often told myself that it's going to go away." But at some point he couldn't take it anymore. "After several tests and analyzes, the official diagnosis is long-covid or post-covid condition. It's a relief to finally know. On the other hand, it's terrifying not to know if this will ever end. No one can tell," he says, explaining the change in his body.
Büchel knows it could be much worse. "I can still control my life, find joy in experiencing things and even doing sports," he writes about his illness. "But in the end, it just sucks!"
Numerous fans thank the former ski racer for his honest words and wish him all the best. Support also comes from numerous colleagues from the winter sports circus. Stars such as Natalie Geisenberger or Miriam Neureuther and her husband Felix have liked the post. The two recently announced their family love on Instagram. (msb)
