“Militant, very political”
French minister sends warning to Djokovic
05/31/2023 1:43 p.m
Tennis pro Novak Djokovic caused a stir with a message: Kosovo – recognized as sovereign by over 100 nations – was “the heart of Serbia”, the Serbian superstar announced at the French Open. For this he was sharply criticized.
French Sport Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera has criticized Novak Djokovic’s political message as “inappropriate” and issued a warning to the Serbian tennis star. “When it comes to defending human rights and bringing people together around universal values, every athlete can do it,” she said on TV channel France 2. However, Djokovic’s message was “militant, very political” and shouldn’t be repeated.
After beating the American Aleksandar Kovacevic in the first round, the 22-time Grand Slam tournament winner said: “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence!” written on the lens of a TV camera. Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo spoke to Djokovic and his team and pointed out the principles of “neutrality”, the French sports minister reported.
The organizers left open whether there would be concrete consequences for the campaign and only pointed out in a general statement that the same rules would apply to all Grand Slams. The National Olympic Committee of Kosovo called on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to demand that the world association ITF investigate the incident and initiate disciplinary proceedings against Djokovic. The IOC was asked to comment. “I don’t know. I would definitely do it again,” Djokovic replied when asked if he had to fear consequences.
The background to Djokovic’s action is the recent unrest in the Serbian-dominated north of Kosovo. Militant Serbs had protested against the appointment of new mayors in Zvecan and other municipalities. 30 soldiers of the NATO-led Kosovo Protection Force KFOR were injured. In addition, according to a hospital in Mitrovica, 53 Serbs were injured. Kosovo, which is now almost exclusively inhabited by Albanians, declared its independence in 2008. 115 countries recognize Kosovo’s independence, while Serbia does not, and Belgrade is demanding its return. Djokovic had stated that “as a public figure” he felt obliged “to show support for our people and all of Serbia”.