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Downhill world champion Aksel Lund Svindal ruled out for season after soccer injury

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Downhill world champion Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway is likely to miss the entire ski season after tearing his Achilles tendon while playing soccer.

The Norwegian ski federation said that Svindal sustained the injury in Austria, eight days before the men's World Cup season starts with a giant slalom in Austria.

The season also includes the world championships in Vail and Beaver Creek in February, where Svindal was set to defend his downhill title.

Svindal has said he isn't expecting to be back this season:

SOUNDBITE: (Norwegian)

"I think it will be difficult but I hope it will be possible and I will be positively surprised if it takes shorter time to heal than what the experts are saying. I have to take my body as a starting point and not stress. It's more important that it gets well rather than that I'm back in a week or so. There will be other priorities."

The 31-year-old Norwegian has won 11 medals at major championships but missed almost the entire 2007-08 season following a serious crash in training.