The Kosovo Olympic Committee requested the International Olympic Committee on Wednesday to take disciplinary action against Serbian player Novak Djokovic, who is accused of escalating political tensions by stating "Kosovo is the heart of Serbia" during the French Open. The president of the Kosovo Tennis Federation (KTF) has called for Djokovic to be fined by tennis authorities for "continually provoking Kosovo."
Olympic Committee President Ismet Krasniqi stated in a press release that "Novak Djokovic has once again promoted Serbian nationalist propaganda and used the sports platform to do so." He added, "The additional statements made after the match by a public figure of this stature, without any remorse, directly lead to heightened tensions and violence between the two countries." He urged the International Olympic Committee to "initiate disciplinary proceedings against the player."
For her part, French Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra remarked, "Djokovic's message was entirely inappropriate." She further stated, "There is a principle of neutrality in sports; when carrying messages to advocate for human rights, messages that unite people around universal values, athletes have the right to express them. However, in this case, it was overly political. There should be no interference, especially under the current circumstances; this should not happen again."
