CARL FOGARTY - World Superbike
Champion - RETIRES
In a joint announcement, Ducati and Carl Fogarty wish to
announce that the four time World Superbike Champion is to
retire from motorcycle racing.
In a joint announcement, Ducati and Carl Fogarty wish to announce
that the four time World Superbike Champion is to retire from
motorcycle racing.
Recent tests at Mugello, Italy at the start of this week,
in which Carl rode a Ducati 996 to check on his physical condition,
unfortunately confirmed that the time had come to retire from
motorcycle racing.
Carl encountered considerable difficulty in maintaining a
correct racing position on the bike and is no longer able
to ride in a natural way.
"I'm a long way away from being in the condition I hoped to
be in. Even if I speed up rehabilitation work, I don't think
I will be able to reach the necessary performance level to
be competitive enough next season", declared Carl after the
test on Tuesday.
"I would just not be competitive enough and I would no longer
have the chance of going for victory. I have had a fantastic
career and I can be very satisfied with what I have done for
motorcycling. I don't think I have to demonstrate anything
else.
"The time has now come to have the strength to leave racing.
I knew that it would come sooner or later. I want to do it
now and leave everyone with the memory of a victorious Foggy,
with number 1 on my Ducati".
Professor Andrew Carr, backed up by Dr Fabio Catani, Ducati's
chief medical adviser, gave his authoritative view of Carl
Fogarty's medical condition: "Carl Fogarty suffered a serious
injury to his left shoulder. The upper part of the arm bone
was broken into a number of fragments and required surgical
fixation with a plate and screws.
"He also suffered extensive damage to the muscles and soft
tissues around the shoulder. The fracture fragments have joined
but he is left with considerable weakness and stiffness in
the shoulder.
"This injury will leave him with permanent weakness and loss
of movement. He has undergone an extensive rehabilitation
programme but is not at the present capable of returning to
motor cycle racing".
Fogarty's retirement marks the end of an extraordinary period
that has seen the Blackburn-born rider and Ducati victorious
throughout the world. His career has been an unforgettable
one and will remain in the memory of all those who have had
the opportunity to see 'King Carl' in action.
Despite his retirement from racing, Carl Fogarty and Ducati
will continue to work together. The living legend of Superbike
will remain a testimonial for Ducati throughout the world
with a series of initiatives, which will be defined in the
next few months.
Carl Fogarty will be pleased to meet journalists on Friday
13th October during the final round of the 2000 World Superbike
Championship at Brands Hatch, in a press conference at the
Ducati hospitality unit.
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