Novak Djokovic’s father has been seen posing with Russian demonstrators throughout a protest in help of President Vladimir Putin on the Australian Open.
The match has been tossed into scandal after police detained 4 males exterior Rod Laver Enviornment on Wednesday evening following Djokovic’s quarter-final win over Russian Andrey Rublev.
Spectators inside Melbourne Park had been seen with pro-war indicators and flags that includes the face of Putin as they chanted exterior the stadium.
A video posted on YouTube now seems to point out Djokovic’s dad, Srdan, posing with a gaggle of males who had been additionally seen waving the Russian flags which have been banned from the Australian Open.
Newsagency inews.co.uk first reported the video which seems to point out Srdan telling one of many demonstrators “Lengthy dwell the Russians” in a free translation.
In a video posted on the YouTube channel Aussie Cossack, the daddy of the nine-time Australian Open champion was seen alongside a person who was carrying a T-shirt that prominently featured the pro-war ‘Z’ image.
The video additionally exhibits that the group of Russian activists was in a position to stage its demonstration for an prolonged time period earlier than safety intervened.
Tennis Australia earlier confirmed 4 spectators had been detained by police and had been additional questioned.
A press release from Victoria Police has confirmed all 4 males had been evicted from the occasion.
“Police spoke to 4 males after a Russian flag was produced on the steps on the tennis about 10.20pm on Wednesday 25 January. All 4 males had been evicted,” the assertion learn.
Footage posted on-line confirmed not less than one man holding a Russian flag with President Vladimir Putin’s face on it.
One other man was seen contained in the stadium throughout the match with a professional warfare ‘Z’ image T-shirt.
Spectators are banned from having Russian or Belarusian flags on the Grand Slam after Ukraine’s ambassador demanded motion after they had been seen among the many crowd final week.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian gamers have usually competed underneath a impartial white flag as independents, as is the case on the Australian Open.
Three of the eight quarter-finalists within the males’s singles and ladies’s singles attracts are enjoying as neutrals, whereas Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina was additionally born in Russia.
Two Belarusian gamers — Victoria Azarenka and Aryna Sabalenka — may meet in Saturday’s Australian Open ultimate after profitable via to the final 4.
Karen Khachanov additionally performs Stefanos Tsitsipas within the semi-finals.
Tennis Australia stated in a press release safety employees had been threatened throughout the incident exterior the stadium.
“4 folks within the crowd leaving the stadium revealed inappropriate flags and symbols and threatened safety guards,” an Australian Open assertion learn.
“Victoria Police intervened and are persevering with to query them. The consolation and security of everyone seems to be our precedence and we work carefully with safety and authorities.”
Imaginative and prescient of a gaggle of spectators
A video of the incident captured by journalist Tumaini Carayol confirmed a gaggle of spectators waving flags and chanting “Serbia, Russia”.
The Telegraph has additionally reported Djokovic might have unwittingly signed a flag for a spectator who was beforehand seen within the crowd carrying the ‘Z’ T-shirt.
Russian and Belarusian gamers had been banned from competing at Wimbledon in 2022.
