Red-hot Australian Open favorite Novak Djokovic’s father has posed with supporters of Russian president Vladimir Putin exterior Melbourne Park.
A bunch of followers, together with a person holding a Russian flag with Putin’s face on it, gathered on stairs exterior the grand slam complicated on Wednesday.
In a video posted to YouTube on Thursday, Srdjan Djokovic was filmed with the pro-Russian spectators, briefly chatting with the digital camera in Serbian earlier than he walked off.
It comes after Tennis Australia banned spectators from carrying and displaying Russian and Belarusian banners in Melbourne Park on the second day of the match.
“A small group of people displayed inappropriate flags and symbols and threatened security guards following a match on Wednesday night and were evicted,” a Tennis Australia assertion learn.
“One patron is now assisting police with unrelated matters.
“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.
“We continue to work closely with event security and law enforcement agencies.”
After Djokovic demolished Russian Andrey Rublev in straight units to cruise by to his tenth Australian Open semi-final, followers chanted “Russia, Serbia”.
Among them was the person who held up the flag that includes Putin, whereas carrying a T-shirt bearing the pro-war in Ukraine ‘Z’ image.
A special man had earlier been pictured with a Z image T-shirt inside Rod Laver Arena throughout the match.
Past and current Russian flags, the Russian Eagle flag, Belarusian flags and gadgets of clothes with the Z image are prohibited gadgets at Melbourne Park.
Four folks within the crowd revealed inappropriate flags and symbols and Victoria Police proceed to query them, TA mentioned.
TA had initially permitted spectators to deliver Russian and Belarusian banners to Melbourne Park, so long as they didn’t trigger disruption, however the coverage was rapidly reversed.
That rule has been flouted on a number of events however Wednesday evening’s incident was clearly essentially the most blatant.
Russian and Belarusian gamers, together with Rublev, fellow Russian Karen Khachanov and Belarusian girls’s semi-finalists Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka, are allowed to compete in Melbourne, however should accomplish that beneath a impartial banner.
They had been banned by the All England membership from taking part at Wimbledon final 12 months in response to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Russia is Belarus’ largest and most essential financial and political companion.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
