Those with the greatest talent also have the greatest responsibility. Not just to themselves, but also to future generations of athletes. But Lindsey Vonn chose to ignore all of the above, in an act of selfish abandonment and sheer recklessness.

Just nine days after rupturing ligaments in her left knee, the American skier chose to compete in the women's downhill at the Winter Olympics in Cortina. The end result was the sight of the double world champion suffering a horrendous wipe out on the mountain.

Vonn had to be airlifted off the piste to Ca Foncello hospital in Treviso, around 130km from Olimpia delle Tofane in the Dolomites, following lengthy treatment. The hospital issued a statement which said she had "orthopedic surgery to stabilize the fracture she sustained in her left leg".

The same leg with the torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Some people believe the mistake Vonn made was hitting one of the gates with her ski pole to leave her off balance. But the real mistake she made was taking part in the first place.

Vonn is 41 and should know better.

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The sight of her crashing was horrible to watch. And just imagine what it was like for her team-mates, Breezy Johnson and Isabelle Wright. Johnson watched the events unfold on the big screen, while Wright was up above Vonn waiting to start her own run.

What kind of example is this for Vonn to set? This is downhill skiing, not darts or snooker. The sport is dangerous enough, without attempting it on one leg.

And who is responsible for allowing this to happen? What role did her coach, Aksel Lund, and the medical team play when it came to Vonn being allowed to compete?

There should be an internal investigation within the USA Olympic team, to find out who gave Vonn permission to compete.

Vonn had made it clear before the event that she would try, no matter the outcome.

And the outcome turns out to be another career-threatening injury, a complete disruption of one of the blue ribboned events, and one of the sport's most recognisable figures telling youngsters it's OK to risk life and limb in pursuit of a dream.

Vonn knew this would be her last shot at winning another gold. And she was prepared to stop at nothing to try and achieve her ultimate goal. But she deserves criticism instead of sympathy.

Some have taken the cretinous step of upholding Vonn as some sort of hero. But she must have felt nothing of the sort as she woke up in a hospital bed, having undergone another operation.

And she only has herself to blame.