Ukrainian boxer Vitali Klitschko to run for president in 2015

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/oct/24/vitali-kilitschko-ujraine-run-president

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Ukrainian heavyweight boxer and opposition politician Vitali Klitschko announced on Thursday he would run for president in a 2015 election.

Klitschko, 42, made his declaration angrily to parliament after the assembly, dominated by deputies from the ruling Party of Regions and its allies, passed a law amending tax legislation that could prevent him from running for head of state.

Striking the rostrum, the 6ft 7in tall Klitschko said: "Everything that has taken place in parliament today with texts of laws, directly backed by ruling party deputies, does not intimidate me and will not stop me.

"To head off these schemes and attempts at getting even with me as a possible candidate, I want to declare this: I will run for president."

Klitschko was elected to parliament last year as the head of his pro-western party Udar ("Punch" in English). Since then, the WBC heavyweight champion has campaigned against what he calls authoritarian moves by President Viktor Yanukovych.

He particularly criticised the jailing of the former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, which was seen in the west as politically motivated.

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