French cross-country skiing has lost its brightest young talent on the eve of the new season. Léonie Perry is in hospital receiving treatment for an eating disorder and is out of action indefinitely, the French Ski Federation (FFS) announced on Monday evening, saying it was releasing the information with the athlete's consent. No date has been set for her return to training or racing.
"The athlete is currently hospitalised to receive appropriate medical care for eating disorders," the federation said. Her state of health, it added, does not currently allow her to practise her sport under the necessary safety conditions. The FFS stressed that the health and well-being of its athletes is an "absolute priority" and asked the media and the skiing community to respect the privacy of Perry and her family. It will not be giving further medical details.
Ruka without France's top woman
In sporting terms, the news is a heavy blow for the French team. Perry will miss the squad's final preparation camp in Bessans, in Savoie, and the opening rounds of the World Cup, which starts in Ruka, Finland, on 27 November. French media described the skier from La Bresse in the Vosges as the country's best female cross-country skier of last winter. She turned 22 on Wednesday, 4 November.
Her breakthrough came in the Olympic season. At the Milan Cortina Winter Games she finished tenth in the 10km freestyle on 12 February, becoming only the seventh French woman to post an individual Olympic top-10 in the sport. At the U23 World Championships in Lillehammer she then won relay gold plus bronze in both the 10km classic and the 20km freestyle. Heading into this winter she was reportedly targeting her first World Cup podiums.
A subject endurance sport rarely discusses openly
What stands out is how candid the announcement is. When athletes withdraw at short notice, federations usually cite injury, illness or unspecified "health reasons". Naming an eating disorder publicly remains rare in elite sport – particularly in endurance disciplines such as cross-country skiing, where power-to-weight ratio matters and sports physicians have warned about the risks for years.
Cross-CountryVisa wall before Ruka: Finland moves to shut out Russian skiersThe FFS said it is fully committed to supporting Perry through her recovery, deliberately placing results to one side. In the Vosges, where Perry is the figurehead of her home club in La Bresse, regional outlets such as ICI also put concern for the young athlete ahead of any talk about her season.
What her absence means for France
The roles within the French women's team now shift. Without their Olympic top-10 finisher, France will line up in Ruka missing the skier most widely tipped to break into the world's elite. It also affects relay planning with an eye on the 2027 Nordic World Ski Championships in Falun, which start at the end of February.
When Perry will race again is completely open; the federation says it will only provide an update when her health allows. The World Cup season gets under way without her in Ruka on 27 November.
