Claim: Janica Kostelic of Croatia was overall winner with 5 competition wins at the 2002–03 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup but had surgeries which kept her out of competition until 2005 when she won 3 gold medals.
Evidence: Kostelić won the World Cup overall title again in 2003, but missed the following season due to knee surgery in October, her fourth in ten months, and thyroid surgery in January 2004. After more than 18 months aways from competition, she returned to World Cup competition at Sölden and finished eighth in the giant slalom in October 2004.