Roger Federer ignores social distancing at public event, fans claim he should be criticized just like Novak Djokovic
It seems like the star tennis players just cannot keep themselves away from controversy during the COVID-19 pandemic. After Novak Djokovic's Adria Tour blowout became the talk of the tennis community for all the wrong reasons, Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer now finds himself at the heart of a small, but not negligible, controversy.
Roger Federer was spotted taking pictures with fans and signing autographs at a media event, where social distancing norms were not respected by the gathered crowd - and much less by Federer himself.
At this point of time we are unable to put a date location for the incident, but it seems like the photographs are from the sidelines of the event unveiling Federer's new brand of sneakers. That said, it could have also taken place in the Swiss region of Ticino, where Federer recently shot a commercial.
Everybody knows that wherever Federer goes, the cameras follow. The 20-time Slam champion commands a cult following among both the fans and the media. But given the situation the world faces today, going that extra mile to secure one's own and the community's health is paramount - even in Federer's home country, where the situation is almost back to normal.
In the published photographs, neither Federer nor anyone gathered in the crowd was seen to be wearing masks or following any form of social distancing. In fact, Roger Federer was even pictured taking a fan's pen while signing an autograph for her, something that most experts would agree was quite ill-advised.
Roger Federer must be told he was wrong, say fans on social media
As they say, nothing goes unnoticed on the internet, least of all on social media. As soon as the photographs were published by Spanish Journalist José Morón, fans on Twitter were quick to point out the Swiss Maestro's wrongdoing.
Many even drew comparisons between Federer's behavior and Novak Djokovic's disastrous Adria Tour.
In the photos published by the journalist, nobody present at the event except the two security staff are seen wearing masks or respecting social distancing norms. This prompted the Twitterati to say that if Novak Djokovic was mercilessly trolled for the Adria Tour, Roger Federer should be given the same treatment.
One fan re-visited Gilles Simon's comments on how Roger Federer is too protected in the media, while every small misstep of Novak Djokovic's is magnified.
The Twitter user reminded people of Simon's interview where the Frenchman said, "We only see Roger Federer's virtues and Novak Djokovic's flaws."
However, a few fans suggested that the comparisons were an overreaction, as Federer's incident did not involve him hugging people or dancing at a nightclub. Moreover, Federer didn't organize an entire tournament where social distancing was ignored, the way Djokovic did.
"The situation is nowhere near the same. Roger did not organize a tournament where people attended for days. He is not hugging. He is not dancing indoors. And the risk of taking a pen is the same as when you touch a knob!" this particular fan said.
Another fan seemed to echo the same sentiment.
A few fans replied that they didn't see much difference in the two incidents as the virus is transmitted by ignoring social distancing, which was clearly the case here.
This fan pointed out that organizing a tournament - as Djokovic did - is not the only way by which the virus can spread. Any form of non-adherence to social distancing, as seen in Roger Federer's event, can potentially trigger the spread on a sizable scale.
Some fans went another route and claimed that life is almost back to normal in Switzerland as of July. The COVID-19 cases have been brought to negligible numbers in the country thanks to the commendable efforts of the authorities.
"You also have to judge by context. Here in Switzerland the pandemic has been managed in such a way that today, July 2020, life is almost or totally normal throughout the country," this Twitter user from Switzerland said.
But while it is true that Switzerland is doing far better than most countries in managing the pandemic, Serbia and Croatia - where Novak Djokovic's Adria Tour was held - had managed something similar. It is important to note that the two Balkan countries saw a huge surge in coronavirus cases after their governments allowed public gatherings, and now Serbia is back into a strict lockdown once again - a move that saw mass protests erupt in the country.
It is certainly great news that the virus is fading in Switzerland, and we wish the country continued success in its preventive measures. But social distancing and wearing masks are something absolutely necessary for at least a few more months, even for someone as big as Roger Federer.