(Newswire.net — December 10, 2014) — Alisher Usmanov, the richest man in Russia, has bought the auctioned Nobel Prize award of American geneticist James Watson for $4.1 million. However, he intends to return the award for the greatest achievement in science to his rightful owner.
“In my opinion, a situation in which an outstanding scientist sells a medal recognizing his achievements is unacceptable,” Usmanov said in the statement. “Dr. Watson’s work contributed to cancer research, the illness from which my father died. It is important for me that the money that I spent on this medal will go to supporting scientific research, and the medal will stay with the person who deserved it.”
The medal was awarded to Watson in 1962 for discovering the structure of DNA. The scientist, told the media, seven years ago that black people in Africa genetically have lower IQ’s than white people, which was widely deemed racist.
Watson admits what he said in October 2007 to the Sunday Times in an interview, was wrong to say, however, he stands behind his words that he was “gloomy about the prospect of Africa” because “all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours, whereas all the testing says not really.”
Since then, Dr. Watson has not given any public lectures. “No one really wants to admit I exist,” he said.
He was fired from the boards of companies, so he had no income. That is what initiated the auction. Before the auction, which took place on December 4 at Christie’s in New York, Watson said the plan is to buy some art, supplement his income and donate to some of the institutions he is associated with including Clare College, Cambridge.
According to Forbes magazine, Usmanov’s empire is worth $15.8 billion. He is also a major shareholder in Arsenal Football Club. The Sunday Times named him the second-richest man in Britain in 2014.