Beat Fuez, last season's World Cup runner-up in overall, downhill and combined, will not compete this season. Inflammation in his left knee has kept him under medical observation and/or hospitalized since the World Cup opener in Soelden.

The knee was injured last season during the Sochi pre-Olympic tests, and while he continued racing the knee never fully recovered. This newest inflammation is unexplained. Doctors have rinsed, or flushed the knee in an attempt to eliminate the issue, but it has not been successful.

The Swiss federation reports his condition has now stabilized, but after initial treatment he took a sharp down turn over this past weekend.

“Last weekend the situation has deteriorated once more, and a transfer to the Bern University Hospital was inevitable,” the Swiss team site reports. According to the report specialists from the fields of orthopedics, hematology, infectious disease, vascular surgery, radiology and interventional radiology were all brought in due to “increasing inflammation in the knee and slight bleeding in the joint capsule.”

The site reports: “These so-called vascular extensions (micro-aneurysms) could be closed with a catheter from the groin by means of micro-inserts (called coiling).” Blood from a mild bleeding in the joint was arthoscopically removed from the knee  and anti-inflammatory agents were introduced.

The team and Feuz have declared his 2012-13 season over. Feuz was the hero of Switzerland last January when he won the Lauberhorn Downhill at Wengen, his country's premier event.