Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic has stood by his decision to send a political message about Kosovo at the French Open.
After his first-round victory on Monday, Djokovic wrote 鈥淜osovo is the [heart symbol] of Serbia. Stop the violence鈥� on a TV camera lens in response to violent clashes in Kosovo.
Tensions have been rising in the past week in Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008. There were clashes with protesters on Monday over the installation of ethnically Albanian mayors in a disputed election.
Dozens of NATO peacekeepers were injured on Monday after clashes erupted with Serbian demonstrators trying to block the newly elected mayors from taking office in the northern municipality of Zvecan.
Djokovic, whose father was born in Kosovo, said this week that he felt obliged to 鈥済ive my support to our people and to the entirety of Serbia.鈥�
His reference to the 鈥渆ntirety of Serbia鈥� reflects the policy of the Serbian government, which still considers Kosovo to be an integral part of its territory and has not recognized the country鈥檚 independence.
CNN earlier this week sought clarification from Djokovic鈥檚 representation to see if he wants Kosovo to be part of Serbia but did not receive a response.
鈥淥f course, I鈥檓 aware that a lot of people would disagree, but it is what it is,鈥� Djokovic said on Wednesday after his second-round victory against Hungary鈥檚 Márton Fucsovics. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something that I stand for. So that鈥檚 all.鈥�
He added that he had not spoken to French Open tournament director Amélie Mauresmo about the incident.
On Tuesday, the Kosovan Olympic Committee (KOC) called for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Tennis Federation (ITF) to take disciplinary action against Djokovic.
The KOC claimed that the 22-time grand slam champion had 鈥測et again promoted the Serbian nationalist propaganda and used the sport platform to do so,鈥� thereby raising 鈥渢he level of tension and violence between the two countries, Kosovo and Serbia.鈥�
However, the ITF said that players鈥� conduct at a grand slam is governed by the grand slam rulebook of the relevant organizer, in which there is 鈥渘o provision 鈥� that prohibits political statements.鈥�
The IOC said that athletes only fall under its authority during the Olympic Games.
Djokovic is no stranger to controversy at grand slam tournaments. At the Australian Open in January, he said that his father, Srdjan, didn鈥檛 intend to support 鈥渁ny kind of war initiatives,鈥� having been filmed with a group of Russian supporters at the Australian Open.
Then at the 2022 Australian Open, the 36-year-old was deported from the country after arriving in Melbourne unvaccinated against Covid-19.
鈥淎 drama-free grand slam, I don鈥檛 think it can happen for me,鈥� he said on Wednesday. 鈥淵ou know, I guess that drives me as well.鈥�
Djokovic faces Spain鈥檚 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the third round of the French Open on Friday as he continues his bid to win a 23rd grand slam title 鈥� one more than Rafael Nadal at the top of the men鈥檚 all-time list.
