You're reading: WBC grants Vitali Klitschko status of world champion emeritus due to his political activity

The World Boxing Council (WBC) has unanimously decided to grant Ukrainian boxer and UDAR Party leader Vitali Klitschko the status of WBC Heavyweight World Champion Emeritus.

“The WBC is proud and honored to confirm the status of Vitali
Klitschko as WBC Heavyweight World Champion Emeritus. Undoubtedly,
Vitali has earned that distinction through his actions inside and
outside the ring. Vitali Klitschko is fighting the fight of his life;
this time outside the ring. Vitali is showing to the world what is the
true heart of a champion by leading his countrymen to battle in the
streets in their search of human equality, rights and peace for the
great country of the Ukraine,” reads a statement posted on the official
Web site of the organization.

The statement notes that Klitschko announced his intention to run for
the presidential elections in Ukraine in 2015, and given the current
extreme and delicate political situation in the country, the Ukrainian
boxer will not be able to provide the WBC with a predictable time-frame
to return to the ring, although he wanted to defend his title against
WBC mandatory contender Bermane Stiverne.

This status will give Klitschko the right to fight for a WBC world champion title when he is ready to return to the ring.

“The WBC joins Vitali in his struggle to fight for democracy; to
promote rule and order and human equality in his country; and to follow
the path of the great Nelson Mandela who paved the way for many to stand
up for what they believed was right and to make this a better world,”
the organization said.

The WBC will conduct a very special ceremony to award Vitali his WBC Emeritus Champion distinction in the very near future