Heavyweight title challenger Shannon Briggs has demanded that WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko resign as Ambassador for UNESCO, citing comments that trivialize asthma.
In a statement published on fightnews.com yesterday, Briggs said: “We all know Dr. Klitschko holds a PHD in P.E, as he and his publicist remind us all the time. What many people don't know is Klitschko holds a much more important distinction, as an Ambassador for UNESCO (United Nations Educational and Cultural Organization)”.
The American boxer, who has an asthma condition, stressed that Klitschko had disgraced this very important post with his ignorant and dangerous remarks about asthma not being a deadly disease and just a good excuse.
“Any real Doctor and certainly any educated member of UNESCO would know that over 300 million men, women and children suffer from asthma around the world and over 250,000 of them died last year alone. I apologize to all the parents, children, brothers and sisters of those who died from asthma last year for Vitali's extremely insensitive and ignorant remarks. I hope what he said doesn't cause even one child who may need help and treatment from asthma to not seek it due to “The Champ's” dismissive remarks.
“Dr. Klitschko get this right: Asthma is a chronic and too often deadly disease. What kind of humanitarian and scientific ambassador would dismiss 250,000 deaths? Please resign your post as Ambassador for Unesco before you say something else that could hurt millions,” concluded Briggs, who is also an actor.
Vitali Kitschko and Shannon Briggs will clash in a Heavyweight championship bout at the World Arena in Hamburg, Germany on October 16.
But the former heavyweight champion is not happy about the comments being passed about his asthma condition by fellow heavyweights Vitali and WBO champion David Haye.
From The Sports Desk with files from fightnews
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