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Lindsey Vonn withdrew from the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia on Tuesday, because of complications arising from a long-term injury to her right knee.

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One of the biggest names in women's Alpine skiing will be missing from next month's Winter Olympics.

Lindsey Vonn will not take part at the Sochi Games in Russia because of a knee injury.

The gold medallist in the downhill at Vancouver four years ago ruptured ligaments in her right knee during a high-speed crash at the world championships last February, and only returned to action after 10 months of rehabilitation.

The 29-year-old American tore her surgically-repaired anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) again in a training crash in November, and then sprained her medial collateral ligament (MCL) during a race in Val d'Isere last month.

Vonn's personal publicist, Lewis Kay, said in a statement on Tuesday that Vonn will have further surgery shortly in an attempt to be fit for the next World Championships on home snow in Colorado, in February 2015.

Vonn also won bronze in the Super-G at Vancouver - and has two gold medals and three silvers at World Championship level.

She holds the American record of four overall World Cup Championships and has 59 World Cup race victories to her name.