That would be ok, if there were an option for him to defend his title somewhere else or at a different time. This way it is like: "Take this vaccine against a

That would be ok, if there were an option for him to defend his title somewhere else or at a different time. This way it is like: "Take this vaccine against a strain that is not spreading anymore, that you also already had, while we cannot really prove efficacy against the current dominant strain and where you have a higher risk of side effects than others, or just give up your title. Your choice." They are blackmailing him.