Accused of pro-Russian attitudes, Novak Djokovic’s father has announced that he will not attend his son’s semi-final match.
Surprising Controversy at Australian Open Tennis Sredjan Djokovic announced on Friday that he will withdraw from his next tournament after coming under fire for his son Novak’s actions in recent days.
“I am here only to support my son. I had no intention of making headlines or disrupting (…) I chose to watch the game from home so as not to disturb my son or his opponent during the semi-final »Srdjan Djokovic wrote in a press release, a copy of which was obtained by Agence France-Presse.
A video posted on Thursday by a pro-Russian Australian YouTube account shows Srdjan Djokovic posing outside the stadium with a man holding a Russian flag with the face of President Vladimir Putin. The man was wearing a T-shirt with a Russian pro-war symbol “Z”.
The Ukrainian ambassador in Canberra, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, demanded that tournament organizers withdraw Srdjan Djokovic’s accreditation after the video was broadcast. Mr. Myroshnychenko. Novak Djokovic, who is preparing to face American Tommy Ball in the semi-finals of the tournament this Friday, must clarify his position by personally apologizing for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “It’s important that Novak addresses this situation.”He pointed out. He should apologize for the incident and condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine..
Last week, Ambassador Myroshnychenko helped persuade Australian Open organizers to ban Russian and Belarusian flags from the arena during the tournament. The Russian embassy in Australia has called for a ban “New example of unacceptable politicization of sport”.
Ukraine’s ex-player Alex Dolkopolov, who is currently fighting with his country’s army, took to Twitter to criticize Djokovic-father’s behavior.“absolutely disgusting”. He is one “Very sad” Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk said Friday that Novak Djokovic’s father was at the Australian Open to see supporters waving pro-Russian flags. “No matter who you are, no one has rights” To wave those flags,” said Kostyuk, 20, after losing in the women’s doubles semifinals. “Such things cannot remain in the shadows.”She insisted. “So sad”.
On Wednesday night, a group of Russian fans defied the ban in a Melbourne park, chanting pro-Russian and pro-Putin slogans at the top. Simeon Boikov, the Australian pro-Putin activist behind the YouTube video, urged Russian fans to get down near the venue ahead of Djokovic’s quarter-final against Andrey Rublev on Wednesday. “Now it’s about honor and dignity. It’s an attack on honor and dignity. It has nothing to do with war.”In a video message, he apparently refers to the ban on Russian flags.
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