Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu will not participate in the figure skating team event starting Feb. 9 at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, sources close to the matter revealed Saturday.
The Sochi Olympic gold medalist, who recently resumed practicing on ice after suffering an ankle injury last November, is still aiming to skate in the individual event scheduled to begin on Feb. 16.
(Japanese Olympic Committee)
He is looking for his second consecutive title to become the first skater in 66 years to win back-to-back since American Dick Button in 1948 and 1952.
Hanyu suffered ligament damage in his right ankle during practice at the NHK Trophy last November. He missed December's national championships which doubled as the Olympic qualifiers but secured his berth based on his No. 1 world ranking and other criteria.
The 23-year-old, also a two-time world champion and four-time Grand Prix Final champion, is one of five singles skaters chosen to represent Japan in Pyeongchang. World No. 2 Shoma Uno and Keiji Tanaka are the other two men's skaters, while No. 4 Satoko Miyahara and Kaori Sakamoto filled the two women's spots.