An anti-vaccine former kickboxing champion has reportedly died from Covid-19 complications shortly after discharging himself from hospital.
Frederic Sinistra, 41, was admitted to hospital in late November after being forced to seek out medical attention by his coach. The former champion later shared a series of photos of himself while breathing through oxygen tubes in an intensive care unit.
Despite his condition, however, Sinistra refused to acknowledge that he had Covid-19, instead referring to his illness as a “little virus” and decided to leave hospital and treat himself at home instead. He has since succumbed to the virus after suffering complications in December.
Sinistra’s passing was announced by his wife in a lengthy Facebook post, who maintained he had not passed away due to Covid-19. “He would have never accepted that his fate would be used to incite fear and market vaccines,” she said in the social media post.
The kickboxer, once branded as “Belgium’s strongest man,” was a staunch opponent of government restrictions and mandates to contain Covid-19 in Belgium. The country imposed new stringent measures on Dec. 22 amid fears of the rapid spread of the Omicron coronavirus strain. This included the closure of cinemas, theatres and concert halls, while sports events will proceed without audiences.
Despite his fatal stance regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, Sinistra was described by ex-coach Fabian Pavone as a “force of nature with a heart of gold.” He leaves behind a legacy that includes national, European, and world championships.
“He was a golden guy. I will never forget him,” said friend Jordan Sferrazza online. “He was the strongest in Belgium in the heavyweight category.”
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