After Novak Djokovic Kosovo controversy, Andy Murray defends players’ right to free speech
Andy Murray has defended players’ right to freedom of speech after Novak Djokovic's controversial comments on Kosovan independence.
Recently, more than 50 people were injured when Serbian protestors tried to prevent a newly elected mayor from entering his office in Northern Kosovo.
After his first-round win against Aleksandar Kovacevic at the 2023 French Open, Djokovic used the tradition of victors signing the broadcast camera to reflect on the loss of life and called for an end to the violence.
"Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence," he wrote on the camera lens.
This caused a huge uproar as Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and is recognized as an independent nation by more than 100 countries around the world. Serbia, however, isn't one of them.
While he did not directly speak about Djokovic's comments, Murray has stated that sports and politics cannot and should not be stopped from overlapping.
“No athlete should be stopped from freedom of speech, I don’t think that’s fair. You often hear athletes, journalists, and commentators say that sports and politics shouldn’t mix, but they do,” he told The Telegraph.
The former World No. 1 stated that athletes have the responsibility to bring people together and should be allowed to speak their minds, just as it is acceptable for everyone to disagree with them.
“We have a responsibility as athletes to try and bring people together and not necessarily to divide each other. I think everyone should be allowed to voice their opinions, I think that’s very important. Just like it should be okay for everyone to disagree with them,” he added.
"I feel the responsibility as a public figure" - Novak Djokovic defends his statement on Kosovo
Despite his statement on Kosovo making headlines for all the wrong reasons, Novak Djokovic has refused to apologize. He defended himself by saying that he had the responsibility to lend support to Kosovo and that his actions were the least he could have done.
"This is the least I could have done. I feel the responsibility as a public figure – doesn’t matter in which field – to give support. Especially as a son of a man born in Kosovo, I feel the need to give my support to them and to Serbia," he said in a press conference in Paris.
"I am not a politician and I don’t have the intention to get into political debate. That topic is very sensitive. As a Serb, everything that’s happening in Kosovo hurts me a lot," he added.