Olympic canoe champion Fox recovering after tumour removed

Three-time Olympic gold medallist Jess Fox on Thursday revealed she needed surgery to remove a tumour from her kidney and has pulled out of the remaining Canoe Slalom World Cup events in Europe.

The 31-year-old, Australia's flag-bearer at the opening ceremony of last year's Paris Olympics, said the operation was successful and she was in good spirits.

"It's been a whirlwind over the last few weeks, but I'm all good -- just a couple of gnarly new scars, a bit less kidney and a whole lot more toughness!" she said on Instagram.

France-born Fox is the reigning Olympic champion in the women's C1 (canoe) and women's K1 (kayak), among six medals she has won across four Games.

A member of the IOC Athletes' Commission, she has also claimed 10 gold at world championships, making her the greatest individual paddler in the history of the sport.

"It has been a difficult time for Jess, her family and for her support crew," said Australian Olympic Committee president Ian Chesterman.

"But the one thing we know is that Jess is an incredibly resilient person and she has faced this latest challenge with her renowned determination and fight, just as you'd expect."