The French sports minister, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, says Novak Djokovic’s message about Kosovo was “not appropriate” and warned him not express his political view at the French Open again.
However, from within the ranks of the elite professionals at Roland Garros, Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina backed the men’s world No 3, saying that in a free world the Serb should have the right to express his opinion.
Crucially for his continued participation in Paris, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said Djokovic’s expression of his views did not violate any rules because the grand slam rulebook does not ban political statements.
“Rules for player conduct at a grand slam event are governed by the grand slam rulebook, administered by the relevant organiser and regulator. There is no provision in this that prohibits political statements,” an ITF spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
Speaking on TV station France 2, Oudéa-Castéra said French Open director Amelie Mauresmo spoke with Djokovic and his entourage to insist on the principle of “neutrality” on the field of play.
“When you carry messages about defending human rights, messages that bring people together around universal values, a sportsperson is free to express them,” Oudea-Castera told broadcaster France 2. “But in this case it was a message that is very activist, that is very political. You shouldn’t get involved, especially in the current circumstances, and it shouldn’t happen again.”
Djokovic has drawn criticism from Kosovo’s tennis federation after offering his thoughts on clashes in northern Kosovo between ethnic Serbs and police and Nato peacekeepers. After a first-round victory, Djokovic wrote in Serbian on the lens of a courtside camera that “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence.”
The ITF, the governing body of world tennis, said it had received and acknowledged a letter from the Kosovo federation and had forwarded it to “the relevant grand slam authority”.
Meanwhile, the 28-year-old Svitolina, who has called for all Russian and Belarusian tennis players to be banned from international competition over Moscow’s 2022 invasion of her country, said 22-time grand slam winner Djokovic could speak his mind. “Well, we are living in the free world, so why not to say your opinion on something,” Svitolina said after her second round win at the French Open.
“I feel like if you stand for something, you think that this is the way, you should say. I mean, if you are with a friend sitting, talking, you’re going to say your opinion, he is going to say his opinion. So why not?”
Earlier, the Kosovo Olympic authorities have asked the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to open disciplinary proceedings against Djokovic, accusing the Serbian of stirring up political tension.
Djokovic wrote the message on Monday, the same day that 30 Nato peacekeeping troops were hurt in clashes with Serb protesters in the Kosovo town of Zvecan, where Djokovic’s father grew up.
Serbian authorities said 52 protesters were wounded in the clashes. The violence erupted after ethnic Albanian mayors took office in northern Kosovo’s Serb-majority area following elections that were boycotted by Serbs. Djokovic later said he was against any kind of conflict but defended his statement and described Kosovo’s situation as a “precedent”.
“Novak Djokovic has yet again promoted the Serbian nationalists’ propaganda and used the sport platform to do so,” Ismet Krasniqi, president of Kosovo’s Olympic Committee (KOK), said in a statement.
“The further post-match statements made by such a public figure without any feeling of remorse, directly result in raising the level of tension and violence between the two countries,” he added, urging the IOC to investigate “by opening disciplinary proceedings against the athlete.”
The IOC has yet to respond. On Tuesday, the Kosova tennis federation said Djokovic’s comments were “regrettable”, accusing him of using his status as a well-known personality to stir tensions.
Djokovic, who is chasing a record 23rd grand slam title, is set to play his second-round later on Wednesday against Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics.
French sports minister warns Novak Djokovic not to repeat political message - The Guardian
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