"As regards Janica Kostelic, nothing has changed since a few months ago. She said then that she would not train during this summer and that she would like to have a good rest, and that she would announce her decision in September whether she would ski in the coming season. We believe that by mid-September we shall know her decision," the spokesman for the Croatian Ski Federation, Ozren Mueller, told Hina on Sunday.
Recently, the Croatian media have frequently speculated whether the 24-year-old Janica Kostelic, who won three gold medals at the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City in 2002 and the fourth Olympic gold in Turin to create Olympic history, would continue her career, marked by many serious injuries, or whether she would quit.
The director of the Croatian national ski team, Vedran Pavlek, has recently stated that Janica Kostelic renewed contracts with main sponsors, explaining that the contracts were formulated in two versions depending on whether she would participate in the 2006-2007 season or not.
The Jutarnji List daily on Sunday again raised this question with an article headlined "Janica Won't Ski Next Season?"
Croatian Ski Federation officials emphasise that they are able to mobilise Janica's team within 24 hours if she opts for the continuation of the career.