Disturbing Images

Kim Jong Il isn't the only man who wants to spare his people of disturbing images or news.

On Sunday Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipović (Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic), member of Sabor and one of Croatia's most popular athletes, was supposed to have his fight with Kevin Randleman aired to Croatian viewers. But Filipović's fans had not one but two unpleasant surprises that day. First Filipović got knocked out in the first round, than it turned out that Filipović's manager Zvonimir Lučić (Zvonimir Lucic) banned airing of the fight.

While HRT officials publicly contemplate lawsuit against Filipović and his manager, index.hr site has allowed Croatians to watch the fight in all of its glory. The image is not for the squeamish – at the end of the fight Filipović's life was saved by the referee.

Filipović, hailed as true Croatian hero, lost great deal of his fans after his surprise decision to run for Sabor at SDP ticket. He probably even more by refusing to let people see him crushed in the ring.

Before the fight Filipović was preoccupied with the shooting of Ultimate 7, his first feature film. In his interviews he said that because of that he was "only 70 % ready for the fight".

Let's hope that Ultimate 7 is worthy of such pain and embarassment.