Claudia Pechstein Retires from Speed Skating at 53 After Historic Career

The five-time Olympic champion ends her career following a legal resolution with the International Skating Union, marking the conclusion of a 16-year battle for rehabilitation.

Claudia Pechstein, Germany's most decorated speed skater, announced her retirement at age 53, symbolically hanging up her skates during a press conference in Berlin.
Her decision follows a legal settlement with the International Skating Union (ISU), ending a 16-year dispute over a controversial doping ban imposed in 2009.
Pechstein's career includes five Olympic gold medals, six world championships, and participation in a record eight Winter Olympics, spanning over three decades.
A recent blood test confirmed a hereditary blood condition, supporting her longstanding claim that the doping allegations were unfounded and leading to her full rehabilitation.
Pechstein plans to focus on coaching and mentoring young athletes, aiming to rejuvenate Germany's speed skating success.