After the accident she said "Thank God I don't have to go to the Olympics".

Following the injury, the Soviet Gymnastics Federation remained secretive about the events surrounding Mukhina's cataclysmic injury. Julissa Gomez: during a warm up for vault in Japan, most likely NOT taped and if so, was never shown on TV. Because of her injury, she had great difficulty re-mastering a signature tumbling run, a Thomas salto (a 1 and 3/4 flip with 1 1/2 twists). Elena herself was reclusive following the incident, seldom publicly discussing the accident. Mukhina was rushed into surgery that afternoon, but the damage had already been done to her reputation; one of the National Team coaches, she said in the Ogonyok interview, showed up at her bed the day after surgery and outright stated that she "wasn’t conscientious" and that she could still "train in a cast." In the end, after a long search, I returned to my initial options and narrowed the choices down to "¢ση¢яєтє αηgєℓ, мα∂ ωσяℓ∂ ωιтн му нєαят ωιℓℓ gσ ση & ℓιѕтєη тσ уσυя нєαят" being the two being the main songs I'd choose from while the other two due to soothing melody in the cover versions of other languages. Because of her devastating injury, Mukhina could not be added to the 1980 Soviet Olympic team roster. Christy Henrich: died of an eating disorder, though she did fracture her neck in 1989, but it did not paralyze her or anything. There was little doubt that the Soviet Olympic women’s gymnastics team […]

Because of her devastating injury, Mukhina could not be added to the 1980 Soviet Olympic team roster. When it was discovered that the fracture had not healed properly, Mukhina was rushed into surgery again. Yelena Mukhina: no, it was during a practice session in Russia, not taped.

Elena Mukhina : biography June 1, 1960 – December 22, 2006 Aftermath According to Larisa Latynina’s 2004 interview, Mukhina’s trainer, Mikhail Klimenko, was affected by her injury. Because of her devastating injury, Mukhina could not be added to the 1980 Soviet Olympic team roster. After surgery Mukhina’s training continued despite her leg having not completely healed. According to Larisa Latynina's 2004 interview, Mukhina's trainer, Mikhail Klimenko, was affected by her injury. According to Larisa Latynina's 2004 interview, Mukhina's trainer, Mikhail Klimenko, was affected by her injury. TIL that the Soviet gold medalist Elena Mukhina was forced back to practice with an unhealed broken leg, which didn't give her enough power to do a flip and broke her neck on the mat making her quadriplegic for life in 1980.