Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has publicly criticised Polish airport security forces who detained the Ukrainian world heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk after his colleague refused to leave an airport gate when he was not allowed to board a flight.
Usyk was detained at Kraków airport on the evening of September 17 over what the boxer later called a “misunderstanding” after the airline Ryanair refused to allow his colleague on to a plane to Thessaloniki in Greece.
The portal Gazeta.pl reported that Kraków airport authorities had confirmed Polish border guards released Usyk and his colleague shortly after interviewing them and they were not charged.
According to an airport guard interviewed by portal Interia.pl, the two men were not allowed on to the flight as they were deemed to be “in an agitated and excited state”. Polish authorities have refused to confirm or deny that the two men had been breathalysed.
The boxer thanked Ukrainian diplomats for their assistance and praised what he called the professionalism of Polish security personnel for not being deterred “by the size, weight and arms’ reach” they were confronted with.
According to news outlet Onet.pl, the incident took place at the gate of the Ryanair flight due to depart for Thessaloniki. Usyk and his colleague were denied entry onto the flight and the boxer vociferously protested against the air carrier’s decision.
Airport security were called in and handcuffed Usyk, leading him and his colleague to an interview room where the boxer was un-cuffed and given time to calm down by border guards.
⚡️ Ukrainian boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk has been detained at Kraków airport.
Details are being clarified, according to the First Deputy Head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Youth and Sports, Zhan Beleniuk. pic.twitter.com/01NonYZ5l0
— UNITED24 Media (@United24media) September 17, 2024
Zelensky took to social media to state that he had contacted Usyk by phone, adding he had been outraged by the way the Polish authorities “treated our citizen and champion” and ordered the Ukrainian foreign minister to investigate the incident.
The fighter and his colleague were released by airport security after representatives of the Ukrainian consul arrived.
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrij Sibiga posted on X: “We have intervened at once on the authority of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the detention of Oleksandr Usyk and have secured his release.
“We consider that the way he was treated was disproportionate and unacceptable. We will be issuing a diplomatic note [about the incident], which will be delivered to Poland.”
The Polish ministry of foreign affairs said it had yet to receive the note and would not comment further on the matter.
This is not the first such incident at an international airport involving a famous Ukrainian boxer. Back in 2009 the then-Ukrainian heavyweight world champion Vitaly Klitschko was stopped at Frankfurt airport when German customs control staff questioned the legality of a Swiss watch he was carrying.
