German cops grab Klitschko's watch: "I thought it was an April Fools' joke" (Sports Feature)

By Stefan Korshak Mar 31, 2009, 9:56 GMT

Kiev - Ukraine heavyweight boxer Vitali Klitschko on Tuesday said he thought he was the unlucky target of an April Fools' Day joke, after German customs police confiscated an expensive watch in his baggage.

'I say to them 'Guys, are you joking? Do I look like a smuggler?',' Klischko said at a Kiev press conference, as he recalled the March 21 incident.

Frankfurt airport customs police detected an IWC watch valued according to the boxer at more than 1,000 euros after scanning Klitschko's hand luggage.

'It never entered my mind that some one could consider it contraband,' Klitschko said. 'But German customs had a different opinion.'

German border officials demanded Klitschko produce a proof of purchase and, failing to receive one from the WBC heavyweight champion, confiscated the watch and leather carry-on bag that he had been carrying it in.

Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent Germany Foreign Ministry a note requesting an explanation for the watch confiscation, and Ukrainian diplomats contacted customs at Frankfurt airport for details on the incident, said Vasyl Kyrylych, a Ukraine Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Lawyers in Germany and Ukraine had been hired to get the watch and bag back, and a return of the goods 'will come pretty soon I think,' Klitschko predicted.

Ukrainian media has reported in detail on the disagreement between German customs and Klitschko over his carry-on bag contents, almost without exception alleging the German officials targeted Klitschko because of his Ukrainian nationality.

'The unfortunate thing is, most of my fellow countrymen don't get near the treatment in the European Union, that some one like me gets,' Klischko said.

'It is well-known Ukrainians must stand in long lines...and even be insulted, before they are allowed to travel in the EU, and once they are there they don't get the same treatment as EU citizens,' Klitschko explained. 'For some of my countrymen, in Europe some human rights don't apply.'

'But to be honest those customs guys probably stopped me in particular, because they were either my fans and just wanted to talk, or maybe because they were fans of one of my opponents and they thought they could harass me,' he added.

Klitschko, 37, came out of retirement last year to reclaim his WBC title. His last fight was a successful title defence in March against German-based Cuban Juan Carlos Gomez.

Along with his younger brother Wladimir, holder of WBO and IBF heavyweight belts, Vitali Klitschko is one of Ukraine's best-known sports figures.

Outside the ring the elder Klitschko, holder of Sports Science doctorate, is active in Kiev city politics as the leader of a centrist political party. He is an outspoken proponent of bringing European values to the former Soviet republic.

Aside from his physical size and prizefighting background, Klitschko is distinctive from most Ukrainian politicians by using highly-educated language in his public appearances, and open support of European-style transparent government.

A Mont Blanc watch similar in value had replaced the one confiscated by German customs, and would stay on his arm until he could get the IWC watch back, Klitschko said.