Novak Djokovic spotted with genocide-denying politician in Bosnia, sparks outrage on Twitter
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has often been at the center of controversy, whether it is for his on-court behavior or off-court actions. His recent pictures with controversial military figure Milan Jolovic and Serbian politician Milorad Dodik, taken at a wedding in Bosnia, have kicked up another storm.
Djokovic has been away from the court ever since he lost the US Open 2021 final to Daniil Medvedev last week. He has instead been spending time with his family and friends, while also traveling to Bosnia & Herzegovina to visit the Visoko pyramids.
It was during that very trip that Novak Djokovic was pictured at the wedding of judoka Nemanja Majdov, a gold medallist at the Judo Championships. The Serb was seen dining with Jolovic and Dodik at the event.
The world’s No. 1 men’s tennis player Novak Djokovic spent the last few days hanging out w/ a former underling of convicted genocidaire Ratko Mladic, & contemporary genocide denier & secessionist Milorad Dodik. Let’s see how many sponsorships “Nole” loses as a result. https://t.co/lnVhMMwV3U
Political scientist Jasmin Mujanovic wrote a detailed thread about the photos and their implications, while also criticizing how Novak Djokovic doesn't lose any sponsors despite his questionable company.
"The world’s No. 1 men’s tennis player Novak Djokovic spent the last few days hanging out w/ a former underling of convicted genocidaire Ratko Mladic, & contemporary genocide denier & secessionist Milorad Dodik. Let’s see how many sponsorships “Nole” loses as a result," Mujanovic wrote.
"The answer is zero because Bosnian Genocide denial and/or association with those involved in as much (incl actual killings) gets you Nobel Prizes and keynote lectures not social ostracism," he added. "For those keeping count, 0 is also how many sponsors he lost for posing w/ a liquor brand named after WWII Nazi collaborator Draza Mihailovic. Or when he received an award from the RS entity govt, past luminaries of which incl genocidaires Milosevic, Mladic, Karadzic etc."
Novak Djokovic was also seen singing with Milorad Dodik at the event, the video of which can be viewed below:
Milan Jolovic is a former leader of the Serbian paramilitary unit Drina Wolves, which is known to have played an extensive role in the persecution of Muslims in Srebrenica in the early 1900s. Milorad Dodik, meanwhile, has publicly denied the Srebrenica genocide ever took place, despite the fact that it has been deemed so by official international bodies.
According to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, more than 100,000 people were killed during the Bosnian War in the 1990s, and the Srebrenica massacre was a prominent part of that tragedy.
Fans on social media question Novak Djokovic for mingling with Milan Jolovic and Milorad Dodik
Many fans and experts on Twitter seemed disappointed with Novak Djokovic after the photos emerged. They questioned Djokovic's beliefs and thoughts, with some even calling for his sponsors to cut him loose.
Some of Djokovic's fans argued that he was only attending a wedding and that he hadn't given any indication he endorses Jolovic's or Dodik's views. Others, however, claimed the World No. 1 should have had better sense than to be seen in the company of people with such controversial pasts.
"Should have retweeted this earlier, but this is ridiculous and either a stunning disregard for human atrocity or a lack of care for suffering (assuming Djokovic knows, and considering his CV of careless actions I’m sort of inclined to think he doesn’t). Inexcusable regardless," wrote a fan on Twitter.
Should have retweeted this earlier, but this is ridiculous and either a stunning disregard for human atrocity or a lack of care for suffering (assuming Djokovic knows, and considering his CV of careless actions I’m sort of inclined to think he doesn’t). Inexcusable regardless twitter.com/jasminmuj/stat…
"No moral compass at all," another tweeted.
no moral compass at all twitter.com/jasminmuj/stat…
Here are some of the other tweets in response to Novak Djokovic's pictures:
Healing pyramids, gurus, antivaxx, pro war crimes.
And he wonders why he doesn’t receive the respect or attention of Rafa or Fed. twitter.com/jasminmuj/stat…
words fail what a monstrous violence this smiling endorsement is twitter.com/JasminMuj/stat…
are you kidding me???? this is horrific and inexcusable twitter.com/jasminmuj/stat… https://t.co/W6IHs5im1n
words can’t describe the anger im feeling rn twitter.com/jasminmuj/stat…
don't know if one can begin to explain this on twitter. just know it's impossible to sit next to Dodik and not be aware of what he's done and what he stands for.
"genocide denier" may be too vague to grasp, so please look up "Srebrenica massacre" and let it sink in for you. twitter.com/JasminMuj/stat…