Bulgarian Snowboarder Malena Zamfirova Faces Complex Surgeries After Slope Accident Caused by Intoxicated Tourist

Bulgaria’s young snowboarder Malena Zamfirova has suffered severe injuries after being struck by an intoxicated tourist on a slope in Špindlerův Mlýn on March 3. The 16-year-old athlete, who was preparing in the Czech Republic for the upcoming World Cup competitions this weekend, sustained a broken femur in two places, a fractured pelvis, and a broken shoulder blade.

Following the accident, Zamfirova was initially hospitalized in Hradec Králové, where she underwent surgery. Today, she is scheduled for an additional complex procedure at a specialized clinic in Graz, Austria, which is recognized internationally for treating serious injuries of this kind, alongside the facility in Innsbruck that successfully treated Albert Popov after his Sölden accident.

Hospital spokeswoman Lucie Hanoushová confirmed that Zamfirova was briefly unconscious after the collision. “She has significant injuries to her back and lower limbs, which necessitated her transport by helicopter to the trauma center,” Hanoushová explained to iDnes.cz.

Czech authorities have launched an official investigation into the incident. The tourist responsible, who was reportedly under the influence of alcohol at the time, could face up to two years in prison for causing grievous bodily harm.