Tennis star Novak Djokovic’s father was filmed posing with fans holding banned Russian flags at the Australian Open, including one with Vladimir Putin, in a situation the Ukrainian ambassador called “an embarrassment”.
Serbian star Djokovic had just earned his place in the semi-finals of the tournament after beating Russian opponent Andrey Rublev at the Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday night. After the match, a group of supporters hoisted Russian flags – banned in Melbourne Park – and chanted pro-Russian and pro-Putin chants.
Tennis Australia reported that four people “disclosed inappropriate flags and symbols and threatened security guards”. Police were called to the scene and supporters were evicted from Melbourne Park.
A video later posted to social media showed Djokovic’s father, Srdjan, standing with a man holding a Russian flag with the image of President Putin.
The man with the flag is wearing a black T-shirt with a “Z” on it – a symbol of support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Spectators are banned from flying Russian or Belarusian flags at the Grand Slam after Ukrainian ambassador to Australia and New Zealand Vasyl Myroshnychenko demanded this measure.
The Russian Embassy in Australia objected at the time, calling it “another example of the unacceptable politicization of sport”.
Myroshnychenko said on Twitter on Thursday that the latest incident was outrageous. “It’s a complete package.” Among the Serbian flags there are: a Russian flag, Putin, Z symbol, the so-called flag of the Donetsk People’s Republic,” he wrote.
In turn, Ukrainian tennis player Lesia Tsurenko, who was defeated in the first round of the Australian Open, said she was “speechless”.
Former Ukrainian player Alex Dolgopolov, who is currently fighting in the war, asked on Twitter: “This man is banned for life, at least from all Australian events, right?”
“Honor and Dignity”
Ahead of the match between Djokovic and Rublev, Simeon Boikov, who runs the YouTube channel that initially posted the controversial videos, had urged Russian supporters to descend on Melbourne Park to protest the flag ban.
“This is now about honor and dignity. This is an attack on honor and dignity. This has nothing to do with war,” he said in a video message.
Tournament organizer Tennis Australia said on Thursday it would continue to work with security to enforce entry rules, without discussing the incident directly with Djokovic’s father.
“The players and their teams have been informed and reminded of the event’s policy regarding flags and symbols and to avoid any situation that could be disruptive,” he said.
“We continue to work closely with event security and law enforcement agencies,” he said.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year, Russian and Belarusian players have competed as independents under a neutral white flag, as is the case at the Australian Open.
Source: DN
