Djokovic father filmed with fans holding Russian flags
MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic's father has been filmed posing with fans brandishing banned Russian flags at the Australian Open, including one featuring Vladimir Putin, in scenes Ukraine's ambassador Thursday slammed as "a disgrace". The Serbian star Djokovic had just booked his place in the tournament semi-final with a straight-sets thumping of Russian opponent Andrey Rublev at Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday night. After the match a group of fans unfurled Russian flags -- which are banned at Melbourne Park -- near the stadium and chanted pro-Russian and pro-Putin slogans. Tennis Australia said four people "revealed inappropriate flags and symbols and threatened security guards". Police were called and they were ejected from Melbourne Park. A video later posted to a pro-Russian Australian YouTube account showed Djokovic's father Srdjan posing with a man holding a Russian flag bearing President Putin's image. The man with the flag is wearing a black T-shirt with a "Z" on it -- a symbol supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The video is captioned: "Novak Djokovic's father makes bold political statement." Serbian tennis reporters confirmed it was Djokovic's father and the Melbourne Age newspaper reported he said in Serbian: "Long live Russia." Spectators are banned from having Russian or Belarusian flags at the Grand Slam after Ukraine's ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, demanded action when they were seen among the crowd last week. At the time, Russia's embassy in Australia hit back, calling it "another example of unacceptable politicisation of sports".
Myroshnychenko said on Twitter on Thursday that the latest incident was shameful.
"It's a full package. Among the Serbian flags, there is: a Russian flag, Putin, Z-symbol, so-called Donetsk People's Republic flag," he tweeted with a link to the video.
"It's such a disgrace... @TennisAustralia @AustralianOpen."
Ukrainian player Lesia Tsurenko, who was defeated in the Australian Open first round, tweeted: "No words to say."
Another man was photographed by AFP inside the stadium during Djokovic's match with a pro-war "Z" symbol T-shirt.
Ukrainian former player Alex Dolgopolov, who is currently fighting in the war, asked on Twitter: "This guy will get banned for life, at least for all Australian events, right? @AustralianOpen."
Ahead of the Djokovic-Rublev match, Simeon Boikov, who runs the YouTube channel which posted the footage, had urged Russian supporters to descend on Melbourne Park to protest the flag ban.
"This is about honour and dignity now. This is an attack on honour and dignity. This has got nothing to do with the war," he said in a video message.
"The Russian empire has had its flag banned," he added. "Well guess what Tennis Australia? Good luck when the empire strikes back."
Tournament organiser Tennis Australia said on Thursday it would continue to work with security to enforce entry rules, without directly addressing the incident with Djokovic's father.
"Players and their teams have been briefed and reminded of the event policy regarding flags and symbols and to avoid any situation that has the potential to disrupt," it said.
"We continue to work closely with event security and law enforcement agencies."
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year, Russian and Belarusian players have normally competed under a neutral white flag as independents, as is the case at the Australian Open.
相关推荐
-
I Deleted All My Social Accounts: Three Weeks Without Social Media
-
Sean Spicer really wants you to know he was NOT hiding in the bushes
-
Trump to announce 2nd North Korean summit plan Tuesday
-
Leclerc favourite for Ferrari's home race
-
21 Caves That Offer Otherworldly Experiences
-
高州圣女果、苦瓜、甘薯采收忙,“南方小果蔬”出发去北方
- 最近发表
-
- 提前谋划部署准备秋季开学
- Watch what Pence does with his water bottle to please Daddy Trump
- Royce nominates late Korean
- 雨城区畜牧局开展夏季畜产品安全检查
- 雅安市举办首届“文轩教育”校园足球精英夏令营
- 苍坪路市场有问题 市领导带队现场整改
- Snoop Dogg just helped make the world's largest gin and juice cocktail
- 雨城区运管部门规范汽修行业
- Tesla issues recall for 9,100 Model X cars
- 苍坪路市场有问题 市领导带队现场整改
- 随机阅读
-
- Spate of defections show Kim Jong
- 打造雅安人力资源品牌
- Spieth beats Cantlay to win PGA Heritage title
- Japan reportedly using facial recognition at 2020 Summer Olympics
- Students get free entry at second Rawalpindi Test but what’s the catch?
- Liverpool have to be 'angry' and 'greedy' against Man Utd
- More South Korean men feel disadvantaged socially: study
- 跌久必涨!王祖力:2024年猪价具备底部反弹50%的潜力
- Courting Disaster
- 私存汽油起火 两层小楼熏黑
- Harvey Weinstein pleads not guilty
- 打造雅安人力资源品牌
- Expanded police surveillance will get us “broken windows” on steroids.
- What do your cereal and Monsanto herbicide have in common? This chemical.
- Fake news has gotten so bad Obama had to weigh in
- What do your cereal and Monsanto herbicide have in common? This chemical.
- Best smart home deal: The Amazon Smart Thermostat is just $63.99
- Pompeo to travel to Vietnam for summit Feb. 26
- Burger King trolls IHOP in the best way possible
- 亲近大熊猫 为大熊猫打工
- 搜索
-
- 友情链接
-