Fabriano (Ancona), August 29 – The accident is now behind. For Sofia Raffaeli there remains now to face a knee cleaning surgery, already scheduled for some time. The champion, Olympic and world bronze medalist and protagonist of the first Italian Olympic pass for Los Angeles 2028, is captain of Ginnastica Fabriano and is doing well.
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The surgery scheduled for September 2
These days she is resting at home with her family, after the efforts and emotions of the recent World Championships. On September 2 she will undergo an arthroscopic surgical procedure to clean the knee, a procedure planned at the end of the world event and, above all, not related to the rear-end collision on August 17. The Italian Gymnastics Federation reassures about the condition of the athlete and her competitive future.
Accident without consequences
The accident did not compromise the continuation of Sofia’s sports activity, who can now focus on recovery and the knee surgery. The gymnast was monitored by Professor Andrea Ferretti, president of the Federal Medical Commission, and the examinations carried out after the collision excluded significant consequences.
The recovery path established by the doctors
After the operation, Raffaeli will follow a gradual and controlled recovery path, aimed at a full return to sports activity and competitions. The program will be managed by the Institute of Sports Medicine and Science, in collaboration with the Federal Medical Commission.
A path designed to accompany the gymnast step by step towards resuming training, without forcing the timing and fully respecting the medical staff’s indications. The goal is to progressively return to work and be ready for the start of the new competitive season, which for Ginnastica Fabriano will have one of the first events in the Italian Team Championship, starting with the first stage on October 17 and 18, 2026 in Terni, at the Umbria Forum.
Team Championship: no Fabriano, it goes to Ancona
A season that also marks a novelty on the organizational front: after many years, one of the three stages will not be organized and hosted in Fabriano. The closure of PalaGuerrieri pushed the Fabriano management to move the event to nearby Ancona, thus keeping one of the championship stages in the Marche region.
Before thinking about competitions, however, recovery must be completed. Meanwhile, Raffaeli will be able to enjoy a few days of tranquility with her family and definitively leave behind the consequences of the accident. A necessary break after a particularly intense period, culminating with the results achieved at the World Championships and the Olympic qualification.
From the World Championships to the long race towards the Olympics
The world event once again confirmed the value of the Fabriano gymnast, capable of winning bronze in the individual all-around, a result that allowed her to obtain the first Italian Olympic pass for Los Angeles 2028, and silver in the hoop apparatus final. An important haul that adds other prestigious results to her career. Meanwhile, Sofia has not failed to show her closeness to Ginnastica Fabriano.
In recent days she visited the athletes at PalaCesari, where she was enthusiastically welcomed by the managers and especially by the many young gymnasts who consider her a point of reference and one of their first fans. A meeting that allowed Raffaeli to share the experience lived at the World Championships and to reconnect with the Fabriano environment.
Now the program is clear: rest, surgery, and recovery. Then back on the mat, with Ginnastica Fabriano and the National Team in sight. The calendar will lead Sofia towards a new competitive season, but her gaze will inevitably also be directed to the big event in 2028. After securing the pass for Los Angeles, Raffaeli has already started the long journey towards her next Olympics. And, having overcome this small stop, she is ready to get back on track.
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