Shaun White said remarks he made to Forbes magazine in the fall led ESPN not to invite him to the Winter X Games in Aspen, Colo., last month. The comments followed weeks of speculation about why White, the most famous and accomplished athlete in snowboarding, was absent from one of the biggest showcases for his sport.
ESPN officials confirmed that White, one of the most decorated competitors in X Games history, had not been invited but declined to elaborate on their decision.
Reached this week, White, 29, said he believed that his snub was the result of statements he made to Forbes in October during an Under-30 Summit.