Boris, man, know when to stop.

If you’re a little unsure what we’re talking about, you’ll need to start with how the German former tennis star has been talking up his Central African Republic (CAR) diplomat role of late, which just happens to get him off the hook in his ongoing bankruptcy court case.

That’s despite the fact that officials from the country itself say his diplomatic passport is a fake – all of those details here.

When confronted about officials from CAR saying that he is taking liberties, Boris has hit back. Over to the Guardian:

Becker said he felt an affinity with the country because his own family has experienced “some of the same issues and some of the problems” as the people of one of the the world’s poorest nations.

“I am a son of a refugee, my family is all mixed-race, so I have strong feeling towards the African continent, and therefore have a lot of respect and seriousness,” Becker told the BBC’s Andrew Marr programme.

“I have experienced racism, I experienced these type of problems and I want to make a change. Me, as a very German-looking man, it is something very close to my heart.”

I’m sure the man who finds himself in £54 million (R972 million) debt can relate to the citizens of one of the world’s poorest nations.

Easy leap to make.

Of course, Boris will tell you that his role as a diplomat is completely unrelated to his financial woes:

Becker, whose possessions are this week being auctioned off as a result of a claim for millions of pounds by a private bank, insisted his decision to inform the court of his alleged diplomatic status is unrelated to his money issues.

“That has nothing to do with my bankruptcy proceedings. It was just informing the trustee and the courts that if they want to send me to another hearing then my official address is the [CAR] embassy in Brussels and not at Wimbledon or in Germany.”

Becker admitted he had never been to the CAR but saif that “when I have a week free I’d love to visit the country”.

And now for the real zinger:

“I don’t know what is going on within the politics of Central Africa but I have received this passport from the ambassador … I believe the documents they’re giving me must be right.”

He said his decision to claim diplomatic status had led to a substantial increase in discussion of the country in the media.

“Being a diplomat has its ups and has its downs,” he said.

Trump calling African countries ‘shitholes’, and calling Namibia ‘Nambia’, also led to increased discussion, but that doesn’t make them good things.

Diplomatic ups and downs hey – what a rollercoaster ride.

[source:guardian]