Hediger's death came less than four years after another Olympic snowboarder died in the Swiss Alps during an avalanche. In 2021, Julie Pomagalski, a former Olympic snowboarder from France, was 40 years old. Four people were freeriding together when the avalanche happened, the French federation said. Pomagalski's guide also died.

Sophie Hediger, 26, a member of the Swiss national snowboard cross team, died in an avalanche at the mountain resort of Arosa, the Swiss Ski federation said on Tuesday.

Hediger competed at the Beijing Games in the women's snowboard cross and the mixed team version of the same event.