26. Februar 2009  
Switzerland  
Artistic Gymnastics

Swiss gymnast Roger Sager retires following injury

Roger Sager (SUI)

* stv-info --: Swiss artistic gymnast Roger SAGER (28) has announced his retirement from top-level sport after an eight-year international and national career.
Roger Sager sustained an injury last Saturday at the first Swiss qualifying competition for the individual European Championships, which are to take place in Milan from 2 – 5 April 2009.
Roger Sager represented Switzerland in the European Championships in 2002, 2004 and 2006, as well as in the World Championships in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2006.


Roger SAGER - Retirement following injury
He enjoyed his greatest success at the 2006 World Championships in Aarhus (DEN), when he achieved 8th place with the team and at the 2003 Universiade  in Korea, when he came 5th in the vault final. 
Roger Sager, who represented BTV Lucerne and lives in Zollikofen has been plagued by injury for the past two years. 
On four occasions he had to undergo surgery before major competitions. The knee injury (tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament and damage to the meniscus) which he suffered at the 1st European Championship qualification competition on 21 February forced Sager into retirement:
«It is difficult to make this decision, as I would like to have attained my goals in gymnastics! However, I have now reached the point where I have to make a rational decision and take seriously the signals that my body is giving me.»
Despite his sadness at leaving the gymnastics circuit, Roger Sager is proud of what he has achieved:
«Nevertheless, I am satisfied with what I have shown and achieved and all in all I am glad to have gone through the school of life that is artistic gymnastics. I will be able to benefit from all my experiences throughout my life.»
Sager wishes to thank everyone who has supported him in his 21-year gymnastics career. 
* Source: Renate Ried, Head of Media STV