UFC: Khabib makes coronavirus plea to Dagestan on eve of Eid with dad Abdulmanap in ‘very serious’ condition
- UFC lightweight champ Nurmagomedov implores fans not to trust conspiracy theories and to listen to doctors over Covid-19
- Devout Muslim asks followers not to visit others during Ramadan and says Dagestan is in crisis with hospitals overwhelmed
Khabib Nurmagomedov has confirmed his father and coach, Abdulmanap, is in “very serious” condition suffering from Covid-19. The UFC lightweight champion revealed some of his other relatives had died from the coronavirus as he made an impassioned plea to his fellow Dagestan citizens to listen to medical advice and stay home during the Islamic holiday of Eid.
Reports emerged last week that Abdulmanap, 57, had been put into a medically induced coma after being moved to a Moscow hospital. It was in the Nurmagomedov family’s native Dagestan where Abdulmanap had initially been treated for symptoms of pneumonia, of which complications led to him having a second heart surgery.
“A lot is written on the internet about father – he is now in hospital. His condition is very serious,” Nurmagomedov said in a six-minute address on Instagram.
“This virus affected his heart. A year ago we got him to do heart surgery and now he just had another one. His condition is very serious. We are asking Allah to give him back to us.
“I had more than 20 close relatives in intensive care. I am talking about close relatives, not just people I know. Many of them are no longer with us. A lot of people I know died, a lot of parents of my relatives and of people that I know died.
Nurmagomedov is self-quarantining in Dagestan with Russia on lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic, which caused him to miss a highly anticipated April 18 title defence against Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 in Brooklyn, New York. The event was eventually rescheduled for May 19, with Justin Gaethje stepping in and stunning Ferguson to win the interim lightweight title.