Training falls KO Italian team for Games

TURIN (Reuters) – Two Italian ski jumpers will miss the
Winter Olympics after falling during practice, forcing the
depleted national squad to withdraw from a team event, a sport
official said on Tuesday.

Marco Beltrame and Stefano Chiapolino were both hurt during
practice jumps on Monday ahead of the Games, which start on
Friday and run until February 26.

Chiapolino suffered head and face injuries, while Beltrame
had to have his spleen removed, a spokesman for Italy’s winter
sports federation said. “Both of them are out of the Games,” he
said.

With the loss of two of its five ski jumpers, Italy will
not be able to field a four-person squad in the team event on
February 20.