Biggest Retirements of 2012

Gymnast Paul Hamm, the only American male to win a world or Olympic all-around title (2003 Worlds, 2004 Olympics), retired from the sport on March 27, exactly four months before the start of the London Games. Hamm cites his body's inability to handle the demands of training as his reason for retirement; he's been plagued by injuries since before the 2008 Olympics. Hamm served as an assistant coach for the Ohio State men's gymnastics team for three months in 2011 while training for the 2012 Olympics, but was fired after an embarrassing arrest when he was charged with assaulting a taxi driver. Despite his retirement, Hamm plans to stay involved to promote the London Games.