The Sports Minister of France has indicated that Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic’s statements about Kosovo as the heart of Serbia are unacceptable writes Politico.
Amélie Oudéa-Castéra said that the Serbian athlete’s remarks during the French Open were inappropriate and political. Referring to the unrest in the northern part of Kosovo, the minister said that such actions should be avoided due to the existing conditions.
Djokovic, who is one of the most successful tennis players in the world and has won 22 Grand Slam titles, caused outrage after he wrote on a TV camera screen in Serbian on Monday, the 29th of May: “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence.”
Long-standing tensions between Serbia and Kosovo have intensified again in the last days of May, following clashes between ethnic Serbs and Kosovo police. Dozens of people were injured in the clashes, including soldiers of the NATO peacekeeping mission.
After the match on the 29th of May, Djokovic said:
“As a son of a man born in Kosovo, I feel the need to give my support to our people and to the entire Serbia.”
The Minister of Sports later stated that the organizers of the championship have discussed these remarks with Djokovic and his team.
Oudéa-Castéra, who has been a professional tennis player, said that neutrality reigns on the court and that this situation must not repeat.
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