Olympic downhill champion Sofia Goggia has pulled out of the world skiing championships at home in Cortina d'Ampezzo from February 8-21 because of a knee injury, the Italian ski federation announced on Sunday. The 28-year-old, whose career has been plagued by injury, hurt her knee as she descended the slope after the women's Super-G in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany was cancelled because of fog. She immediately returned to Milan for tests which revealed "a compound fracture of the lateral tibial plateau of the right knee," the FISI said. "Goggia will not take part in the world championships and the rehabilitation process will begin with a view towards the resumption of competitive activity." The news is a blow for the Italian team as Goggia had been in exceptional form this season, winning four of the five downhills, for a career total of 11 World Cup victories. The skier from Bergamo was among the favourites for the world championships in the Italian Dolomites from February 8-21. ea/dj