Novak Djokovic Condemned for Comments on Kosovo-Serbia Tensions During French Open
Key Highlights :
Novak Djokovic courted controversy on Monday after writing “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia” on a broadcast camera lens after winning his first-round game at the French Open in Paris. The Serbian tennis superstar’s father was born in Kosovo, and he told the press after the match he felt he had an obligation to show support for Serbs and “all of Serbia” as some of them are being “expelled” from their home districts. Djokovic's statement was met with criticism from the Olympic Committee of Kosovo and the Kosovo Tennis Federation, who called the remarks “deplorable.”
The Olympic Committee of Kosovo has urged the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to initiate “disciplinary proceedings” against Djokovic for his comments, while the president of the national sporting body, Ismet Krasniqi, accused the 22-time Grand Slam winner of using sport as a platform to promote “Serbian nationalists' propaganda.” French Sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera also criticized Djokovic’s remarks, saying his comments were “militant, very political” and “must not be repeated.”
Djokovic said he chose the phrase “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia” to bring attention to the violence in Kosovo, only noting that “Kosovo is our heart, stronghold, the center of the most important events…There are many reasons why I wrote this.” While Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and has since been recognized by more than 100 UN member states, Serbia still considers it as a part of its territory.
Tensions have flared in Kosovo’s northern region as security officials have clashed with the region’s Serb population. The most intense violence has taken place in the town of Zvecan—where Djokovic’s father grew up—after ethnic Albanian mayors took charge of the city following local elections that were boycotted by the Serbs. While Serbs make up a large majority of Zvecan’s population, Albanians are the largest ethnic group in Kosovo— making up more than 90% of the national population. The clashes have prompted NATO to send troops to the region to conduct peacekeeping operations. Despite this, NATO forces and national security officials have repeatedly clashed with Serb protesters. As NATO sends 700 more troops into Kosovo, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has criticized the Kosovo government for “unnecessarily” triggering tensions with the country’s ethnic Serbs.
In his post-match press conference on Monday, Djokovic said: “I am not a politician, nor do I intend to enter into debates… I don’t know if someone will punish me or something like that, but I would do it again. I am against wars and conflicts of any kind.” Djokovic’s comments have sparked debate about the role of athletes in making political statements, and it remains to be seen what action the IOC will take and what rules the tennis star may have broken.
The controversy surrounding Djokovic’s comments on Kosovo-Serbia tensions highlights the ongoing ethnic tensions in the region and the importance of athletes using their platform to promote peace and unity. While Djokovic may have had good intentions in writing “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia” on the camera lens, his statement has been widely condemned and has only served to further inflame tensions in the region.
