The Serbian tennis player’s father was shown with a man carrying a flag with the face of Vladimir Putin. “Long live Russia,” he said according to local media.
In the midst of the repudiation of almost the entire international community for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which is close to completing one year, Srdjan Djokovicfather of Novak Djokovicgave the note in the australian openby posing with people who have made their support for Vladimir Putin public.
Djokovic’s father scandal in Australia
The event occurred on the stairs of the Rod Laver Arena stadium, after the match in which Nole yesterday crushed the Russian Andrey Rublev, to get into the semifinals of the first Grand Slam of the year, but they only went viral today after being published on YouTube.
There Srdjan Djokovic is seen posing next to a man with a Russian flag with Putin’s face and a black T-shirt with the letter “Z”, which has become a symbol of support for the invasion of Ukraine. In addition, according to local newspapers The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, the tennis player’s father says in Serbian in the video “long live russia“.
The ban on Russian and Belarusian flags at the Australian Open
The Australian tennis federation prohibited last Tuesday, January 17, on the second day of competition, the Russian and Belarusian flags in the stadiums where the Grand Slam takes place.
The measure was taken after a protest by the Ukrainian ambassador, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, who saw the symbols of those countries in the stands on the day that opened the main draw.
“Russian and Belarusian flags are prohibited inside the Australian Open. Our initial policy was that fans could bring them, but they couldn’t use them to disrupt. Yesterday we had an incident where a Russian flag was put up next to the court. The ban is effective immediately and we will continue to work with players and fans to ensure the best possible environment to enjoy tennis.“Tennis Australia federation detailed in a statement.
What about the players from Russia and Belarus at the Australian Open
The Russian and Belarusian players were able to compete in the first Grand Slam of the year, unlike what happened at Wimbledon, where they were removed from the competition.
However, they must do so under a neutral flag and the symbols of Russia and Belarus do not appear next to their names on television broadcasts or in the initial draw that determined the main draw.
Foto:Marko Metlas/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images)
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