Johnny Weir Retiring From Figure Skating

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Flamboyant figure skater Johnny Weir is retiring from skating professionally after 17 years of dancing on ice in sparkles for a living. Say it isn't so!?!

Weir announced his plans on Today this morning (Oct. 23) and also told Matt Lauer that he has plans to work with NBC at the Russian Olympics next year despite Russia's anti-gay laws in place.

"I'm a gay American and I married into a Russian family," explained Weir. "While this law is a terrible thing that you can't be gay publicly in Russia ... I plan to be there and not be afraid. Our presence is needed."

He also wrote out a heartfelt statement about his decision which you can read below.

It is surreal writing about my career as if it had happened to someone else and to actually write the words, 'I am retiring from competitive figure skating.

I have cried my way through writing this entire column not because I am sad, or that I'll miss training or falling or being so nervous I thought my head would explode, or starving or the glory of victory or the agony of defeat, I cry because of the memories that have shaped my life.

At twenty-nine, it is odd to explain to the average Joe that I am retiring. While my retirement surely isn't a shock to the skating world, I have been able to become a sort of face for my sport to people who rarely watch it, and I always quickly follow up the statement of 'I'm retiring from competition' with the truth that I will continue to skate and perform as long as my body will allow me and that I pass my presence in the competitive ranks on to some genius upstart, the youth that keeps the Olympics and sports alive.

While I am not old, part of being a champion is knowing when your time is up.

Seventeen years ago, it's hard to say exactly how, but I knew my life would have some magic, and I have figure skating to thank for that. I wish for everyone in this world to have even one moment of finding their bliss and chasing after it at all costs and I pray that you are lucky enough to even have two of those moments, because they are fleeting and sometimes unappreciated.