Klitschko, a former World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Organisation (WBO) champion is reported to have told journalists "I will be on the ballot" for the elections which are scheduled to take place in May.

The Ukrainian Central Election Commission posted a calendar online earlier today, which gives candidates until April 4 to register for the national elections.

The 42-year-old, whose younger brother Wladimir currently holds a number of belts in the heavyweight division, had indicated in recent months that he was considering a bid for the Presidency during the elections that were originally scheduled for next year.

But those elections have been brought forward following the Ukrainian Parliament's decision to oust former President Viktor Yanukovych at the weekend.

A criminal case has been opened against him and other Government officials over "mass murder of peaceful citizens" following violent clashes in Kyiv's Independence Square.

Yanukovych, who has since gone into hiding but still claims to be the "legitimate President" of Ukraine, was removed from power following weeks of violent demonstrations in the country which are reported to have resulted in the deaths of more than 80 people since February 18, according to Ukraine's Health Ministry.

The man known as Dr Ironfist dominated the boxing ring for over a decade ©Bongarts/Getty Images



The protests originally began in late November when Yanukovych rejected a landmark association and trade deal with the European Union in favour of closer ties with Russia.

Ukrainian capital Kyiv has witnessed the majority of the violent protests which have been focussed outside the Parliament and in the city's Independence Square.

The political and civil upheaval in the country has raised concerns among many that Lviv's bid for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be greatly affected, with Lviv 2022 chief executive Sergej Gontcharov admitting to insidethegames last week that "the conflict needs to be resolved before we can seriously be considered as hosts of the Winter Games".

World pole vault record holder and President of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, Sergey Bubka, has also called for an end to the unrest declaring on his Twitter account that "violence has no place in the world".

Independence Square in Kyiv has been the focal point of protests in Ukraine for the past three months ©AFP/Getty Images



While former Olympic and world champion Bubka is arguably the greatest sportsman in Ukrainian history, Klitschko is also viewed by many as a national hero and he has used his status to further his political aspirations.

As leader of the pro-Western Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reforms (Udar) party, Klitschko has been an outspoken opponent of Yanukovych's Government, claiming it is corrupt and that the jailing of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko - who has since been released - for abuse of office was unjust.

Klitschko also wants to strengthen ties with the European Union telling the BBC in August last year: "My main goal is for Ukraine to be a European, modern country with European standards of life.

"I will decide with people who have the same vision, the same dream, to go into politics and from the inside to change the situation."

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