X Games will be missing a star this year as motocross star Nate Adams announced that he would not be taking part in X Games Austin due to a recent head injury.
“Four weeks ago I had a little crash and hit my head pretty good,” he told XGames.com.
“It wasn’t that bad of a crash and I didn’t think much of it at the time, but my first time back on the bike after that I crashed again, for no real reason, slapped the same side of my head in the exact same spot, and that was it.”
Following the accident Adams was accessed by his doctor and failed a concussion test.
In a bid to not miss the games Adams visited the doctors four times to take the test but unfortunately was forced to announce he will be on the sidelines this year.
“I failed it again every week after that for the next four weeks, with my reaction time and hand-eye coordination way down,” Adams said.
“My doctor said if I hit my head again, even just a minor hit, I could be fine, or it could be really bad,”
Adams has been taking part in the X Games since 2001 and has a total of 18 medals, four of those gold.
“It’s that unknown that’s really scary. I haven’t missed a summer X Games since I was 17, so it’s a tough decision, but this time I had to make a 30-year-old decision and not a 17-year-old decision.”
Czech rider Libor Podmol will take the place of Adams in the Moto X Freestyle event while Kris Foster comes in for the Speed & Style event.
“I’m just trying to keep myself healthy so I can come back next year,” Adams said.
“I’m up to about my fifth career comeback or so, so don’t write me off yet.”
