Aamodt calls time

Aamodt, the most successful men's skier in Olympic history, underwent surgery on his chronically damaged knee over the European summer and had planned a World Cup return this month.

"I feel ready both mentally and physically, and that is why I've decided to quit," Aamodt told the Norwegian online daily Nettavisen.

"I think it's time to quit now. I'm 35 and have a family. He became a father last January before winning super-G gold at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.

Aamodt won 20 Olympic and world championship medals, including four Olympic golds, the most of any male skier.

The former overall World Cup champion also amassed 62 World Cup podium finishes.

"He has been thinking about it for the last half year," Norwegian men's head coach Marius Arnesen said.

"He is such a professional that perhaps he could still have come back but with so many things going on in his life and with the injury, he didn't think his motivation was so big. Now he is healthy, he couldn't imagine getting injured one more time."

Aamodt fought back from injury and adversity throughout his career.

In 1991, as a 20-year-old, he was in hospital with mononucleosis, a virus, and had to be drip-fed. He won his first gold medal six weeks later.

Aamodt also had 19 Olympic and world championship medals stolen but made sure he kept his 20th from Turin safe.