Australian MotoGP legend Casey Stoner read up on his fight against chronic fatigue syndrome and admitted that the disease “is destroying me”.
The 35-year-old Stoner announced last year that he was fighting for health after retiring from motorsport in 2012.
But speaking to Spanish newspaper El Mundo this week, Stoner said he stayed flat after failing to overcome the disease and revealed that he felt like starting every day on just 50 percent energy.
“It’s been months when I felt like my body was getting worse for no apparent reason: I went to workout and came back popped,” said Stoner.
“I thought I was going to find a way to cure it, I was exercising more than anyone, and I would have moved on, but I was wrong.
Camera iconCasey Stoner is in the middle of a health battle. Photo credit: Masanori Inagaki/.AP
“The truth is, this disease is destroying me and I cannot make it.
“Now I feel a little better, I have learned to deal with my energies. I start the day at 50 percent and the energy drops until I feel empty. “
Camera iconStoner in 2012 after winning at Phillip Island. Photo credit: Lucas Dawson/.Getty Images
Stoner won two world championships in 2007 and 2011 as he rose to the forefront of the sport with Ducati and Honda.
But the Queenslander said his post-retirement battle had practically ended his riding days, even on a leisurely level with his family.
“All of this made me rethink my life. On nice days I take the opportunity to play with my daughters and, if at all, I’ll play golf, ”he said.
“I’ve only ridden a motorcycle and gone fishing twice in the past two years … well, I don’t even know the last time I was there.”
Last month, Stoner announced that it has partnered with Emerge Australia to raise awareness and funding for patients with chronic fatigue.