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Elvis ices shows
Stojko, who was forced out of last month's world figure skating championships because of a groin injury, joined the tour last week in Philadelphia, but his manager and legal adviser Ed Futerman said yesterday that skating's Terminator has since pulled himself out.
"He was not doing the jumps and Elvis decided if he couldn't do the jumps, or the show numbers he wanted to do, he wouldn't skate," Futerman said.
NO INJURY
He stressed that Stojko did not aggravate a groin injury that first flared up at the national championships last December and forced him out of the worlds in Minneapolis.
Many of his loyal fans expressed disbelief, even panic, when Stojko joined the tour, believing he would injure himself even more.
The Richmond Hill skater managed to win the silver medal at the recent Nagano Olympics, but was in great pain throughout the competition.
Futerman expects Stojko to rejoin the Champions tour in a couple weeks when his injury improves. The three-time world singles champion has returned home for rest, relaxaton, physiotherapy and acupuncture.
Despite the fact that he could barely jump on the tour, Futerman said fan reaction to his performances was superb. Indeed, the Internet is full of testimonials to Stojko's showmanship from his two numbers last week at the CoreStates Center in Philadelphia.
In one number, Stojko reportedly takes to the ice in the character of Ludwig van Beethoven and returns later dressed as a kung fu master. Stojko has a black belt in the martial arts.