Matthias Mayer: Not a comeback, but a possible test run in Saalbach!

Matthias Mayer: Not a comeback, but a possible test run in Saalbach!

The future of three-time Olympic ski champion Matthias Mayer was a hotly debated topic, and now the decision has been made: Mayer will not return to World Cup action. This statement was announced by the Austrian Ski Association (ÖSV) on Thursday. According to ÖSV head coach Marko Pfeifer, Mayer has realized that he no longer has the fire necessary to make the effort for a comeback. "He said that sometimes he was positive, sometimes not. He didn't know that at all from his career," said Pfeifer after a conversation with Mayer. Ultimately, given his success, Mayer did not feel compelled to return at will oe24.at was reported.

But the door for a comeback remains at least a little open. Pfeifer, who continues to monitor the situation, explained that everything depends on whether Mayer himself has the desire to return. “If Matthias says he would be willing to make a comeback, even if he denies it, we are certainly the last ones to be against it,” said Pfeifer. Although Mayer abruptly resigned in 2022, he had tried in recent weeks to establish himself as a forerunner in the women's European Cup competitions in Zauchensee. He shows that he is physically fit and also carries out material tests for his former ski company in Val Gardena the press reported.

Looking back on his career, Pfeifer says there are some deficiencies that Mayer has left behind in the two years since his retirement, but he believes Mayer could use the necessary preparation and training to become competitive. For Mayer, the World Ski Championships in Saalbach-Hinterglemm could serve as a test run to find out whether he is ready to take on the challenge of a comeback and perhaps return to the slopes again.