Russian figure skater Evgeni Plushenko has said that he has yet to completely make up his mind about retiring from the sport.

The 31-year-old had to pull out of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi with a back injury on Thursday, with reports suggesting that he will now call time on his career.

"The pain felt if I was stabbed in the back with a knife," he told Sport-Express.

"I thought it's God telling me that it's time to stop. Most likely, that's what I'll do. But for now, I won't say anything for certain."

Plushenko was aiming to win his fifth Olympic medal, which would have made him the most successful figure skater in history.