Olympic gold medalist Dominique Moceanu, who is recovering from knee and back injuries, will not compete in the upcoming U.S. Gymnastics Championships.
Moceanu will have arthroscopic surgery on her right knee next month in Houston, preventing her from competing in the August 25-28 meet in Sacramento, Calif.
``I'm very disappointed to not be competing at the championships this year,'' Moceanu said in a news release. ``This has been a goal for me, and the decision to withdraw has been difficult to make.''
Moceanu, who most recently won the individual all-around title at the 1998 Goodwill Games, said she hoped that by giving herself time to rehabilitate she would still be able to qualify for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
``I plan to make this setback a tradeoff for gold in Sydney,'' Moceanu said.
The tiny gymnast, who at the age of 14 captivated millions during the 1996 Olympics, returned to training in late February following a high-profile rift with her parents.
The family fight erupted publicly last October, when Moceanu sued for her independence, saying her father, Dumitru Moceanu, had squandered the money she had earned in a 10-year professional career.
The gymnast and her parents have reached a confidential financial settlement and ended a protective order against her father.
In March, Moceanu resumed training six hours a day at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. She said she will continue to review her condition with doctors and train as permitted.
Chris Sandors, a spokesman for USA Gymnastics, said Moceanu is not expected to compete in any events until the American Cup in February.
