I only heard about this after reading transcripts of the press conference with BOCOG officials.

Liu Yan a classical dancer was seriously injured and might be paralyzed after leaping to a platform that “malfunctioned” during a rehearsal for the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.

Zhag Yimou, director of the opening ceremony had this to say:

“I feel sorry for Liu Yan, my heart is full of regrets,” he said in an interview. “I’m deeply sorry. Liu Yan is a heroine. She sacrificed a lot for the Olympics, for me, for the opening ceremony.”

You can read the article from the New York Times here: Behind the Opening Ceremony, a Paralyzing Fall