Politicians hit out at Mike Tyson Q&A night in Edinburgh

The retired boxer has agreed to hold a question-and-answer session with local boxing fans in a dinner event at the Sheraton Hotel on November 4. The event has been organised by Kevin Maree, who coaches Edinburgh-based super middleweight title contender Kenny Anderson. He said: "The visit is a done deal. After dinner, before a paying audience which we hope will include ex-Edinburgh world titleholders like Ken Buchanan and Alex Arthur, Tyson will discuss his career and answer questions. "Although Tyson fought in Scotland at Hampden Park in June 2000, he has never visited Edinburgh before so this will be a unique chance for Edinburgh boxing fans and local boxers to meet the man himself." A host of local boxing coaches will be lining up to welcome Tyson to Edinburgh, including Queensferry Amateur Boxing Club coach Mark Geraghty. He said: "Mike Tyson is a boxing icon and this is great news. Loads of my boxers will want to see him." Douglas Fraser, leader of Scotland's oldest amateur boxing club, Leith Victoria, added: "I think that Mike Tyson's appearance in the city will be enormously exciting to my club's boxers." However, the visit has already attracted condemnation from local politicians, some of whom are incensed that a convicted rapist should be invited as a guest of honour to the city. Tyson's last visit to Scotland, when he stopped fellow American heavyweight Lou Savarese at a rain-sodden Hampden, was riddled with controversy as the former world heavyweight champion was censured by British boxing authorities post-fight for punching referee John Coyle after stopping the bout. Similarly, women's groups in Scotland protested angrily when it was announced that Tyson, having been jailed for raping American beauty queen Desiree Washington, was allowed to box in Scotland. Lothians MSP Shirley-Anne Somerville, a supporter of the Scottish White Ribbon appeal to end violence against women, said: "Speaking as a mother, he's the last person I would like my children to see as a role model given his conviction for rape, for which he has shown no remorse, as well as his drug convictions." Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Bill Aitken, who was a vocal opponent of the decision to let Tyson into the country in 2000, said: "I think Mike Tyson's visit is one that we could well do without." Labour MSP Sarah Boyack, another White Ribbon supporter, said: "He must give a clear signal that he has reformed and that he condemns violence against women." A Home Office spokesperson said: "The Home Secretary will exclude an individual if she considers their presence is not conducive to the public good. "We do not routinely comment on individual cases, however we may do so if the person chooses to make their exclusion public."