BUCHAREST, Romania -- Andreea Raducan is retiring from gymnastics to enter TV and business after a career in which she was stripped of her Olympic gold medal for taking an over-the-counter cold medicine.

The 19-year-old Raducan last competed in November. But after gaining weight and performing poorly at the World Championships in Hungary and the World Cup in Germany she decided to leave gymnastics.

"It's time to think of my life, my boyfriend and my family,'' she told the daily National.

Raducan, a university freshman, said she planned to retire last year but continued at the insistence of coaches and friends.

Raducan said she wants to become a hostess on a Bucharest TV entertainment show and is also considering going into business with a company in her native city of Vaslui. She could not be reached Monday to confirm the comments.

Raducan won the all-around title at the 2000 Sydney Games, only to have her gold medal taken away for using a cold medicine that contained a banned substance.

The tiny gymnast, 16 at the time, was welcomed as a hero in Romania. Authorities gave her full financial compensation for the medal and sponsors offered her a replacement medal and car.

Raducan recovered by winning three golds at the 2001 world championships. She also helped Romania win world titles in 1999 and 2001 and the Olympic team gold in Sydney.