Palelei was banned from participating in a charity event at a hospital in Australia. Photo: Disclosure
UFC heavyweight Soa Palelei contributed to raising more than R$200 for a children's hospital in Perth, Australia. However, he was barred from the funding ceremony due to the fact that cage fighting is prohibited in the state of Western Australia.
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“It is very disappointing. I was devastated when they told me. It was like, 'What? Serious?' These people are closed-minded,” declared Palelei, in an interview with the North American website “MMA Fighting”.
In a press release, Princess Margaret Hospital explained that Palelei's presence at the event could cause discomfort among guests. “It would not be appropriate to have a representative of this sport visiting the hospital. We have a duty to care for patients, families and staff. As many people in the community have very strong views on this particular sport, due to the level of violence, the hospital executive member felt it was the best decision at that time,” he explained.
Despite the frustration, Palelei stated that he will continue working to raise donations for the hospital's children. “It’s disappointing, but it’s not about me or the hospital. It's about raising money for children. I know what parents feel when their children are sick, have cancer or something like that. You don’t want them to suffer”, added the fighter.
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