Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy stated he was ‘outraged’ over the detention of his nation’s ‘champion’ in Poland.
Undisputed heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk has been launched after a quick detention by legislation enforcement officers at Poland’s Krakow airport, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed.
It was not instantly clear why Usyk was detained. The WBC, WBO and WBA champion, who additionally gained gold on the 2012 London Olympics, is appeared upon as a nationwide hero and has aided Kyiv’s struggle efforts.
“I used to be outraged by this angle in the direction of our citizen and champion,” Zelenskyy stated on the Telegram messaging app late on Tuesday.
“Our champion was launched and nobody is detaining him anymore.”
I spoke with Oleksandr Usyk on the telephone after he was detained.
I used to be disenchanted by this angle in the direction of our citizen and champion.
I instructed the Minister of International Affairs of Ukraine, Andrii Sybiha, and the Minister of Inside Affairs of Ukraine, Ihor Klymenko, to… pic.twitter.com/LNKcH0OupR
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 17, 2024
Usyk, who is predicted to attend Saturday’s heavyweight boxing combat between Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua in London, later stated the detention was a results of a misunderstanding.
“Buddies, all the pieces is okay,” Usyk stated in an Instagram submit. “There was a misunderstanding that was rapidly resolved. Thanks to everybody who was involved.”
He added, “Respect to the Polish legislation enforcement officers who carry out their duties no matter top, weight, arm span, and titles.”
Ukrainian International Minister Andrii Sybiha stated on X that his ministry will contact the Polish international ministry, because it thought-about the detention “disproportionate and unacceptable in relation to our champion”.
Polish TVP Data, a tv information channel run by state broadcaster TVP, revealed a social media video on its web site exhibiting Polish legislation enforcement officers strolling the handcuffed Usyk by means of what gave the impression to be an airport.
Usyk beat Tyson Fury in Might to develop into undisputed heavyweight boxing world champion in an exciting contest on the Kingdom Area in Riyadh.
The 37-year-old Ukrainian is the primary boxer to carry all 4 main heavyweight belts on the identical time and the primary undisputed champ because the finish of Lennox Lewis’s reign in April 2000.
Usyk’s charity fund, the Usyk Basis, aids Kyiv’s forces within the struggle that Russia launched in opposition to Ukraine in 2022. It buys, amongst different issues, ambulances and delivers humanitarian assist to the entrance line.
Usyk’s spouse, Yekaterina Usyk, who posted a blurred picture of her husband surrounded by uniformed officers, stated in an Instagram submit in English that she was grateful her husband was free after a misunderstanding.