‘Waterboarded’ and bullied Syrian refugee Jamal offered fight training by Conor McGregor’s MMA coach John Kavanagh after disturbing video goes viral
- John Kavanagh says Jamal has lifetime membership to his SGB gym in Ireland
- Video shows a bully pulling the boy to the ground and ‘waterboarding’ him
The coach of MMA star Conor McGregor wants to reach out to the Syrian boy who was bullied by schoolmates in the British city of Huddersfield, saying a few boxing lessons from the city’s famous Butlin brothers would boost his confidence and that the teen has a lifetime membership at his own SBG gym in Ireland.
John Kavanagh, replying to a user who tweeted footage of the now-famous schoolyard waterboarding incident, wrote on Twitter: “Kid seems to be in Huddersfield. I’m sure a few boxing lessons with the famous #ButlinBrothers @BigAndyButlin would be great to boost for his confidence. He’s free membership for life at @SBG_Ireland anyway if he can ever make it.”
The Butlin brothers – Ian, Dave and Andy – are cage fighters from Yorkshire who were big names in the area before the sport became high profile.
A disturbing video shows a 15-year-old Syrian refugee, identified only as Jamal, being tackled to the ground and “waterboarded” by a bully at a school in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. The incident at Almondbury Community School occurred in October and was put online on November 27, going viral with more than 2 million views.