Colorado Springs, CO (SportsNetwork.com) - Evan Lysacek, the reigning Olympic figure skating champion, announced Tuesday that a hip injury will prevent him from defending his title at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.
The 28-year-old American tore the labrum in his left hip in August. After talking to his physician, Lysacek has decided to refrain from skating until the injury is completely healed, which could be several months.
"Words cannot describe how disappointed I am to not be able to compete in Sochi," Lysacek said. "The proudest moments of my life have been representing the United States in the last two Winter Olympics. I have suffered numerous injuries over the course of my skating career and they are some of the hardest things an athlete has to overcome. While none of my past injuries have sidelined me quite like this one, I remain determined to regain my health and skate again."
Lysacek has not competed since winning the Olympic gold medal in 2010. He was the first American man in 24 years to win the Olympic title.
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