Novak Djokovic’s father filmed with pro-Russian supporters at the Australian Open – Liberation

At the end of the quarter-final won Wednesday evening by his son against the Russian Rublev, the father of the Serbian player appears in a video in the company of fans displaying the flag of Vladimir Putin.

The Russian flag, the reel of the Kremlin boss, the Z of support for the Russian army and finally Srdjan Djokovic all smiles. In Melbourne, during the Australian Open, the father of Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic was filmed late Wednesday evening with supporters waving Russian flags and other signs of support for the Russian army’s war in Ukraine .

It was after the quarter-final match won on Wednesday evening by his son against Russian Andrey Rublev that Srdjan Djokovic was seen with this group of supporters near the Rod Laver Arena.

The Australian Tennis Federation claimed that four people had first “displayed inappropriate flags and symbols and threatened security guards” in Melbourne Park, before being chased away by the police. A video posted on an Australian pro-Russian YouTube channel later showed Srdjan Djokovic, the player’s father, posing with the man waving the flag with Putin’s face. All with the caption: ‘Novak Djokovic’s father makes a bold political statement’.

Serbian sports journalists have confirmed that it was indeed Djokovic-father. The Melbourne Age newspaper also indicated that it launched, in Serbian: “long live Russia”.

Since the start of the tournament, spectators have been prohibited from Russian or Belarusian flags during the tournament. Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, demanded that action be taken on the sidelines of the competition because last week many Russian flags were seen in the crowd and the stands.

“A complete catalog”

“It’s a complete catalog. Among the Serbian flags there are: a Russian flag, Putin, the symbol Z, the so-called flag of the Donetsk People’s Republic»does he have tweeted Thursday with a link to the video. “It’s really shameful,” he was indignant for the Australian Federation and the organizers of the Open. Since the beginning of the conflict, Russian and Belarusian tennis players generally participate in competitions under a neutral flag and as independents.

Nova Djokovic is the main attraction of the tournament, having been expelled from Australia last year for not being vaccinated. The Serb made it to the semi-finals. He is scheduled to face Tommy Paul on Friday.