The uncle of world heavyweight champion TYSON FURY said that his nephew "is prepared to relinquish his WBA and WBO belts and could return to training in six months." The Briton, 28, "has withdrawn from his rematch" with Ukraine's WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO, scheduled for Oct. 29, "because of mental health issues." PETER FURY, who is also Tyson Fury's trainer, said,
"It's driven him to despair." Peter Fury gave an insight into his nephew's current state of mind, saying "he was being treated for a form of manic depression." He said,
"He has everything to live for but it seems he is on a self-destruct mission" (BBC, 10/9). ... Jockey HENRY BROOKE has been "brought out of an induced coma following a fall at a Hexham racecourse on Saturday." A statement from the Injured Jockeys' Fund said, "He's had a much more comfortable day and has regained consciousness which is fantastic news." Racing was delayed for almost two hours "as medical staff treated Brooke in the wake of his mount's fall and a kick from another horse, before he was taken to hospital" (BBC, 10/9).
ONLINE THREAT: Sports presenter JACQUI OATLEY said that she "was forced to call the police after receiving violent threats online."
Oatley, who in '07 became the first female commentator on BBC1’s Match of the Day, said a man threatened to come to her house and “cut” her, among other “unmentionable” things.
The presenter said that she "had to alert authorities a second time after receiving an abusive tweet from a referee who was still at school." The presenter "was opening up about the online abuse experienced by women working in the sports industry at the end of Women’s Sport Week." She said, "When they tell me to get back in the kitchen, I tell them to get back to 1936" (London GUARDIAN, 10/9).
