Italian Gymnast Lorenzo Bonicelli In Recovery After Devastating Spinal Injury

MILAN, ITALY – JANUARY 25: Lorenzo Bonicelli of Italy poses during the Italian team’s 2024 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships press preview on January 25, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images)

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New updates have emerged regarding the serious injury sustained by Italian gymnast Lorenzo Bonicelli, who was hospitalized last week after landing on his neck during competition at the 2025 FISU Summer World University Games.

On Thursday, the Italian Gymnastics Federation confirmed that Bonicelli suffered a cervical sprain with subluxation of the fifth vertebra.

Although an initial surgery was reportedly successful, Bonicelli is experiencing neurological damage—“the extent of which cannot yet be assessed,” according to the federation. The 23-year-old from Lecco, Italy, is currently breathing through medical ventilation via a tracheotomy.

Despite the severity of the injury, Bonicelli is said to be in “good general condition” as of Thursday, July 31. He will require “at least another week of hospitalization” before a potential transfer to a rehabilitation facility is considered.

Injury Occurs During Qualification Round

The injury happened during the Men’s Artistic Gymnastics team final and qualification round at the 2025 FISU Summer World University Games. The Italian team began their competition on floor exercise, followed by pommel horse.

In the third rotation, Bonicelli landed short on his dismount, falling on his neck.

According to Ginnasticando Italia, medical workers immediately rushed to Bonicelli’s side upon injury, eventually carrying the athlete out of the arena on a medical stretcher.

The Italian team later withdrew from the entire competition due to the emotional distress inflicted by their teammate’s injury.

On Thursday, July 24, an FIG official confirmed initial reports of Bonicelli’s condition, sharing that the athlete had undergone near-immediate surgery on Wednesday, July 23. Steve Butcher, the Apparatus Supervisor for men’s still rings, shared that Bonicelli had gone into a “medically induced coma after surgery” on July 23.

At that time, it was shared that “it will take 10 or more days” to determine the severity of Bonicelli’s injuries. While his recovery evolves, the gymnastics community continues to think of Bonicelli – affectionately known as ‘Bonni’ – and the entire Italian gymnastics federation.