Not even a prison sentence is going to get in the way of a former athlete’s discipline.
Former world No. 1 tennis player Boris Becker is reportedly thriving behind bars as he helps his fellow inmates keep fit by hosting makeshift exercise sessions at UK’s Huntercombe prison, according to the German newspaper Bild.
The 54-year-old German tennis star is currently serving a 2 1/2-year sentence after being jailed in September.
He was convicted of four charges under the British Insolvency Act after he broke the parameters of his bankruptcy by moving hundreds of thousands of British pounds from his business account, along with hiding property in his hometown of Leimen, Germany.
Becker — who has won three Wimbledon Championships, two Australian Open titles and one US Open — was also convicted of refusing to disclose a bank loan of more than $870,000 along with 75,000 shares in the tech firm Breaking Data Corp.
The German outlet claims the scandal-scarred former athlete has a regular training schedule in the prison’s fitness studio and has made some notable lifestyle choices when it comes to his diet. Becker lost a whopping 17lbs after giving up alcohol, the outlet reports.
But it’s not just him embarking on a wellness journey. Becker is even helping his locked-up pals achieve their fitness goals by hosting yoga classes for about 45 of his inmates, as well as meditation.
“As a sportsman, he knows only too well the highs and lows of victories and defeats. He is sharing his life experience with his fellow prisoners,” a source told the paper.
Becker was transferred from London’s Wandsworth prison to Huntercombe in May this year. He reportedly has his own cell, the paper adds.
“Our client, Boris Becker, continues to do well under the circumstances and he has constructively integrated himself into daily prison life,” his German lawyer, Christian-Oliver Moser, told Bild.
“He is able to telephone whenever he wants and to communicate with the outside world. Any further details about his prison stay are subject to protected personal privacy laws.”
