It is not clear why one of Ukraine’s most prominent sportsmen was detained at Krakow airport.
Heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk has been released after being briefly detained at Krakow airport in Poland, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday.
“I was disappointed by this attitude towards our citizen and champion,” said Zelenskyy after talking to Usyk over the phone. “Our champion has been released, and he is no longer being detained.”
He posted a photo of Usyk with Ukraine’s Consul General in Krakow after the athlete was released.
It was not immediately clear why the 37-year-old Usyk was detained. He is one of Ukraine’s most prominent athletes known abroad, and he has organised and participated in different projects aiding his country’s efforts to resist Russia’s invasion.
“A misunderstanding took place. It was quickly resolved,” said Usyk on Instagram, expressing gratitude for the “efficient support” of Ukrainian diplomats. “And respect to Polish police for conducting their obligations with no regards to height, weight, reach and regalia.”
Recently appointed Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha posted on X that he had been briefed on the details of Usyk’s detention.
“Such actions toward our champion are disproportionate and unacceptable,” he wrote. “We’ll send a relevant note to the Polish side.”
The 37-year-old Usyk, an Olympic gold medalist in 2012, started his professional boxing career as a cruiserweight and became the division’s undisputed champion in 2018 with a win over Russian Murat Gassiev to unify all four belts.
He moved up to heavyweight a year later and won three title belts against Anthony Joshua in 2021.
Usyk became the first undisputed world heavyweight champion in 24 years when he beat Tyson Fury in May in Saudi Arabia. He later announced that he was “vacating the belt”.
Fury’s rematch with Usyk is scheduled for 21 December, again in Saudi Arabia. After that fight, Usyk may consider dropping a weight class to return to cruiserweight.