UFC star Khabib reveals 11 members of his village have died from coronavirus as he hits back at conspiracy theorist
KHABIB NURMAGOMEDOV has revealed 11 people from his village have died and dozens more, including his father, are seriously ill as he shot down a coronavirus conspiracy theorist.
The UFC Lightweight Champion’s dad Abdulmanap is currently fighting for his life in a Moscow hospital after suffering a stroke brought on by Covid-19 complications.
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And the emotional undefeated superstar shot down a troll with some sobering statistics from his village in his native Dagestan.
In the response on Instagram, Khabib, 31, wrote according to RT: “More than 500 people in my village have contracted pneumonia, 11 have died, and dozens more people from my village are in hospital.
“In the neighbouring village 14 died in one night, they didn’t manage to bury them. Sorry I’m not as clever as you.”
The 57-year-old Abdulmanap, who is also his son’s trainer, slipped into a coma for a second time yesterday and is currently on life support.
He had previously undergone heart bypass surgery after suffering a stroke when first being placed into a medically-induced coma, from which he woke up from last week.
His condition was described by doctors as “serious but stable” even though he had still not regained his ability to move or speak.
But just a few days later Abdulmanap was unable to breathe unaided and was placed on life support again.
Khabib spoke about his father’s condition for the first time on Monday via Instagram, saying: “He's in the hospital now, he's in a very serious condition.
“He had heart complications stemming from the virus. This virus has very seriously affected his heart, since he had a heart operation a year ago.
“He's had surgery again. He's in a difficult situation, very difficult. We ask Allah to return him to us. Thank you very much to everyone who writes, who sends their support. May Allah help us all.”
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Khabib also revealed that over 20 of his immediate family members had also been struck down with coronavirus.
He added: “Personally, I've had more than 20 relatives - I don't mean people I know, I mean close relatives - who have been in intensive care...Many people I know have died, the parents of people close to me.”
Abdulmanap was initially taken ill in Makhachkala, which is in Russia’s Republic of Dagestan, and received treatment for pneumonia-like symptoms.
But as his condition worsened, he was flown to Moscow at the behest of his family.
Russia has so far recorded 309,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection, with a 2,972 people dying from the disease.
The region of Dagestan has been particularly badly hit with President Putin pledging unprecedented emergency aid.
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