Cro Cop was Almost Deported Out Of Canada/Also Considering Retirement

[dbreiden83080]

I'll combine this into one thread..

Crazy stuff..



"According to a report from Fighters Only, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic was interrogated questioned at length by Canadian immigration officials about his Croation military career and possible knowledge of war crimes committed during the Yugoslavian civil war that took place in the 90's and was close to being deported for not cooperating with the group.

Cro Cop, a former soldier, who is now a member of Croation parliament says Canadian officials threatened to put him back on a plane and send him home for not answering a number of questions they asked him. Apparently they wanted him to give them the names of individuals he had served with and whether or not he was involved in or witnessed the torture or interrogation of civilians during the war, but when he refused to discuss what he knew, they tried to play hardball.

"The first day I was kept for four hours and two more the next day. Although they were not satisfied with my answers they let me go to the hotel in the city, to sleep. They asked me to think about the questions raised. I was threatened with deportation, but appealed to the Croatian Embassy. The Consul was urgently flown in from Ottawa, and the UFC hired the best lawyer for immigration issues,” Filipovic related to Net.hr in Croatia. “They obviously knew what would happen because my lawyer was on the runway at the airport! The inquiry was painful for me, but I must say that the Immigration Bureau officials very correctly performed their job. They used what they have to, but there are obviously very interested in the military and police matters from the former Yugoslavia.”

“Most of them were interested in my military service. I served in 1993-1994 as a conscripts, but I was not involved in combat activities. They asked me if I was involved in the torture of civilians, asking for names of command lines and tactical commanders,” Filipovic added.

“They were asking for details of my activities in Lucko ATJ [anti-terrorist unit] which I joined a few years after the war. They gave me a list of names for me to confirm, but I did not do it. I can not confirm one name because it is still a matter of dignity and principles. I said to myself, ‘If it comes to it I am ready to go home‘. They could have done what they wanted with me but [in the end] they let me fight.”

Whether or not the stressful situation accompanied Filipovic mentally into the Octagon, he didn't show any signs of psychological weakness in his third round submission over Pat Barry, which earned him an $85,000 Submission of the Night bonus check".

UFC had so much trouble with Vancouver, just getting in there. This is just another mess they had to deal with..

http://www.cagepotato.com/cro-cops-u...eing-cancelled

Retirement Talk

"In addition to winning the Pride Grand Prix Finals, [UFC 115] it’s my favorite fight of my career [but] most of the training proved to me that I am now too old for this…I don’t know about a new contract with the UFC. I believe that I gave this game a lot, I fought with the greatest fighters," Cro Cop said.

"For 20 years I lived this life and now I have no motivation for the fight, no mental strength for all the Spartan training. I am no longer so hungry for victory. I will not stop training, but if I am asleep I’ll stay in bed and practice an hour later."

"I have some [seminar] contacts around the seminar circuit in the U.S., Australia, Europe and even Brazil," Cro Cop said.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2010/6/14...-cro-cop-talks

Going into this fight, Mirko said he was considering retirement if he did not get a new UFC deal. Dana said he wants to re-up Mirko for a new deal.. So we'll see. Hopefully that was not his last fight..

[Stringer_Bell]

Crazy story, glad it all worked out in the end. I hope he has a fight or two left, he's 4-1 his last 5 fights. Sadly, the Kongo match showed us it's a new era for heavyweights, so I can understand if he's not hungry to go after the huge guys.

I want to go to a CroCop seminar!

[TD=HOF]

I heard about the retirement talk but had no clue of the trouble w/immigration officals. Thx for the great read!