- Former world champion says some Asian athletes ‘give up’
- ‘Our diet is appalling, it’s not the right diet to be champion’
Amir Khan has accused young Asian sportsmen and women of allowing excuses and a poor diet to stop them fulfilling their potential. The 35-year-old former world champion boxer picked out Asian footballers, in particular, for supposedly lacking dedication and allowing racism to undermine their development.
Speaking on Monday during a farewell press conference, having announced his retirement from boxing last week, Khan was asked if he was proud of his legacy. He turned professional in 2005, having won an Olympic silver medal the previous year at the age of 17, at a time when there were few high-profile boxers of South Asian heritage in Britain. The situation is very different now and many talented Asian boxers cite Khan as their inspiration.