1999 slalom world champion Kalle Palander of Finland announced on Wednesday that persistent injury has put an end to his dream of competing at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. "I cannot fight the sadness caused by the thought that I will not be able to compete for Olympic medals," he wrote in a letter sent to the media.
Palander was operated in February 2008 and has been out of competition injured for a year and a half. He hurt his left shin again in October while training for the season's World Cup opener in Sölden (AUT). Palander was hoping to return to the slopes at the slalom World Cup opening in Levi (FIN) but was forced to declare defeat.
"Unfortunately free skiing in Levi yesterday showed that there is no chance to race with that leg. Therefore I will not compete in Levi," he said.
"I feel empty and immensely sad. It feels like all that hard work was done for nothing. Everything was going extremely well a month ago. There was no pain and runs were going well, but now everything has changed."
The disappointed athlete said and that he may have to consider retiring and that he is pondering what to do in the future: "Perhaps sometime in spring (he) will be able to say what I will do in the future."
Palander has won 14 World Cup events (10 slaloms and 4 giant slaloms) throughout his career.
