After serious illness: Ski star retires

That's it! A German speed specialist has ended his career after a serious illness.

March 25, 2026

From: dpa/det

Ski racer Andreas Sander is ending his career due to a serious cell disease. The 36-year-old will bid farewell to competitive sports at the German International Championships in Axamer Lizum, Tyrol, the German Ski Association (DSV) announced. Sander's greatest achievement was winning the silver medal in the downhill at the 2021 World Championships in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. The Ennepetal native has not competed in a World Cup race for the past two years.

“After my illness, I tried everything to be able to return to competitive sports,” said Sander, who was diagnosed with mitochondrial dysfunction in 2024. This means that his mitochondria, the energy suppliers of his body's cells, are not functioning properly, as the speed specialist explained at the time. Sander was extremely weak at times, only able to walk, and had to sit down frequently.

Andreas Sander won a silver medal at the World Championships during his career. © APA / SEAN M. HAFFEY

“Although I’m feeling much better in my daily life now, my goal of competing at the World Cup level is still not possible. Therefore, I’ve decided to finally bring my career to a close,” said the two-time Olympian. He added that he was proud of what he had achieved in ski racing. Sander competed in a total of 197 World Cup races since March 2008, reaching the podium twice. In the Super-G in Aspen (USA) in 2023, he narrowly missed victory.

Father Sander said he was deliberately leaving his professional future open for the time being. "Currently, I want to concentrate on my health and ensure that it continues to improve. Fundamentally, I am and will certainly remain connected to skiing."

Keywords Winter sports Alpine skiing Andreas Sander