The reigning Olympic champion in men's figure skating, Evan Lysacek, may not be heading to Sochi, but he did weigh in on the prevalence of head injuries in ice skating.
In an interview with TMZ, Lysacek says that ice skating is "a tough sport, and sometimes people, I think, forget that."
He says he's had many concussions, estimating about 15 to 20. "Sometimes we fall at 20 miles an hour and your neck just kind of snaps back," said Lysacek.
The 28-year-old pulled out of the Sochi Winter Games in December after a series of serious injuries, including a torn labrum in his left hip. He said the pain was excruciating and his doctors said he would risk serious and permanent damage if he continued training.
Lysacek's concussion comments add to an ongoing public debate about brain injuries in college and professional sports including football, hockey and soccer.
See the full TMZ interview here:
