Colombian taekwondo Olympian begs for money to pay for healthcare

Colombian taekwondo Olympian begs for money to pay for healthcare

This is the moment a terminally ill former olympian begs for money at a traffic stop to pay for life-saving treatment.Former Colombian taekwondo athlete Milton Castro, 44, was seen begging for money next to a traffic light in the capital city of Bogota in a video that was shared on 30th September.Castro, who has won two bronze medals in Pan American competitions, was diagnosed with a terminal kidney illness which stops them from filtering toxins from his blood 11 years ago and was given a life expectancy of 15 years by doctors.Despite his contributions as an international athlete for the sport in Colombia, he has not been given recognition as a ‘sports glory’ in the country which would come with a much-needed lifelong pension.The recognition is done in Colombia for citizen athletes who have made big contributions to sports.The video shows the moment Castro stands at a street corner holding a large sign he shows drivers as he begs for money.The person filming the video is heard reciting some of the former athlete’s biggest victories calling him a “world champion” and a “35-time taekwondo champion in Colombia and placed fourth in the Sydney Olympics.”The man films the shopping centre next to Castro before focusing back on him and says “Look at that” as the video comes to an end.Castro is forced to stay strapped to a dialysis machine for seven hours three times per week as he continues to make a bid to the Olympic Committee in Colombia to grant him the pension.