Swimming Olympic and World Championship medalist Milorad Cavic (SRB), is considering the possibility of withdrawing from the European Championships in Budapest this summer due to a chronic injury in the lower back.

"For years I have endured pain in my lower lumbar,: Cavic said, "and I have always found a way to deal with it through intensive therapy, but recent MRI photos have shown that I have two herniated discs in the L4, L5 region, which is not treatable with my past therapies. Although I am still generally mobile, I experience great pain and limitation not only in workout, but also in everyday life. I am considering all options, but at this point if I hope to continuously well prepare myself for the Olympics, my manager, coach, and I, think that surgery may be the most feasible of all my options. For now, I will continue to swim as long as I can and I want test my limitations at the Sette Coli meet and Armani Invitational. If I can find a temporary safe solution, I hope I’ll still be fit to race in Budapest in August."

Cavic’s coach, Andrea Di Nino, of A.D.N. Swim Project added, "Milorad returned to the team in January this year after a five month break, and had struggled with lower back pain from the start. A.D.N. provided him with the best medical and physiotherapeutic support we were able to, but his condition proved to be more serious than we thought. One thing is certain, we were not able to prepare appropriately this season with his limitations."

If Cavic chooses to undergo this operation, full recovery and rehabilitation is projected to take between three to four months.