Djokovic's father filmed with fans holding pro-Russia flags at Australian Open

Terrible. Just terrible.

So what? Is he not allowed to have free speech?

I few kids with a Putin flag getting the worldwide attention they want. Why is media spreading this?

Freedom of expression by a non-contestant.

if he will have t shirt with Volodymyr it will be okay even if he will have UA flag-also allowed.

"fredom" at its best.

So what? Is he not allowed to have free speech?

Nope. Russia is being quarantined like a virus, for their invasion and murder of Ukrainians. Don't like it? Complain to Putin, he's the only one that cares.

Well, and his propaganda machine of course.

After the match a group of fans unfurled Russian flags near the stadium, including one featuring Vladimir Putin's face, chanting pro-Russian slogans.

*Tennis Australia said four people "revealed inappropriate flags and symbols and threatened security guards". Police were called and they were ejected from Melbourne Park.*

And none of that would have been necessary if Russian and Belarusian fans had been allowed to support their athletes by flying their countries' flags, just like the supporters of every other country.

Honestly, I'd like to see all national flags banned at international tournaments, where the competitors are playing for individual titles and not national ones.

Strangerland Nope. Russia is being quarantined like a virus, for their invasion and murder of Ukrainians. Don't like it? Complain to Putin, he's the only one that cares.

Unfortunately for you, you do not control the narrative and free speech, much as you crave to.

Zoroto -- So what? Is he not allowed to have free speech?

Sure. The same as the folks here on JT are allowed to exercise their free speech in expressing their disapproval.

It's not rocket science.

Who cares. Is this even newsworthy? Cmon now

Well done! Russia.

Don't like it? Complain to Putin, he's the only one that cares.

Nonsensical.

There is nothing wrong with being pro-Russian and expressing it.

So what? Is he not allowed to have free speech?

Lol, as much free speech as they allow in Russia (go ahead, call it a "war")

A video later posted to a pro-Russian Australian YouTube account showed Djokovic's father Srdjan posing with a man holding the Putin flag."

Its not a Putin flag...it was a will be Russian flag long before & after Putin.

Nope. Russia is being quarantined like a virus, for their invasion and murder of Ukrainians. Don't like it? Complain to Putin, he's the only one that cares.

Fair enough, Russia shouldn't be in Ukraine....but I'm looking forward to hearing the same sentiments next time the one and only superpower decides to invade a sovereign country under " undeniable evidence of WMD,s " & other false pretenses...just to be fair and all.

as much free speech as they allow in Russia 

I guess that's fair, people who don't have free speech in Russia shouldn't have free speech in other countries as well.

It was in bad taste and will be reflected by fans' treatment of his son.

So what ? Would it be better for him to hold an American flag ?

as much free speech as they allow in Russia

I guess that's fair, people who don't have free speech in Russia shouldn't have free speech in other countries as well.

Or, people who have free speech in other countries should have free speech in Russia as well

I just find it funny that people who cry "Free speech! Free speech!" to support him in Australia, that if he ever goes to Russia calling it a war, would they also cry "Free speech! Free speech!" to support him there as well?

But most probably not. Because they don't want him to have free speech in Russia

There is nothing wrong with calling it a war and expressing it

I could care less about tennis but this guy is frequently in the headlines, and it’s never about tennis. My lord the MSM sure do love their hate poster boys. Musk has rocketed to the top stop these days.

Less impressed with the family with every passing news story. He’ll never be a Nadal or a Federer.

Interesting that most of the commenters here complaining about ‘no freedom’, are also the ones supporting Putin’s invasion.

so you’ll whinge & whine over the banning of Russian flags, but you’re cool with Russian missiles & bombs destroying Ukrainians lives ?

There is nothing wrong with being pro-Russian and expressing it.

there is if Russia is committing war atrocities such as murder, rape & torture.

What if he had held an Ukranian flag? Would it make a difference? Is not freedom what is being sold with every invasion? Is not freedom of choice one of them?

Free speech must never be stopped.

Its not a Putin flag...it was a will be Russian flag long before & after Putin.

Read the article. A russian flag with Vladimort's face on it. aka a putin flag.

Free speech must never be stopped.

Try exercising your free speech in Red Square (hold up a Ukrainian flag, sing Zelensky's praises, call the special military fiasco a war. Wear a yellow skirt and blue top.) and witness the russian authorities going out of their way to protect your right to freedom of speech.

As for Djokovic Senior and his son, it seems the apple didn't fall far from the tree.

cleo

Why bring up Red Square or any other place, I’m not a Putin fanboy? I’m against all repression in all countries by the authorities.

last time I checked people are still allowed to have free opinions

last time I checked people are still allowed to have free opinions

Sure, but if they want to express that with a Russian flag at the Australian open, they're out of luck. No one is policing their thoughts, just policing their display of the Russian flag.

Try exercising your free speech in Red Square (hold up a Ukrainian flag, sing Zelensky's praises, call the special military fiasco a war. Wear a yellow skirt and blue top.) and witness the russian authorities going out of their way to protect your right to freedom of speech.

What an odd thing to say.

Free speech must never be stopped.

in public, yes.

but in a private event, the organiser has the right to ban whatever they want.

Try exercising your free speech in Red Square (hold up a Ukrainian flag

What an odd thing to say.

why ? Because it’s true ?

Why bring up Red Square or any other place, I’m not a Putin fanboy?

Why complain about free speech being compromised 'cos you're chucked out for waving a fanboy russian flag in Australia, when exercising free speech in Russia gets you not a telling-off, but a beating and a prison cell?

Sure, but if they want to express that with a Russian flag at the Australian open, they're out of luck. No one is policing their thoughts, just policing their display of the Russian flag.

They can ask him to leave. I am very anti-Russian but I am also anti-mob mentality in trying to force people to agree with your opinions. It is petulant and annoying.

Why complain about free speech being compromised 'cos you're chucked out for waving a fanboy russian flag in Australia, when exercising free speech in Russia gets you not a telling-off, but a beating and a prison cell?

But that's the point. Russia doesn't have free speech. Australia supposedly does.

I get that Tennis Australia is not a government entity and can ban what they like, but making the argument that you can police people's thoughts, and the expression thereof, in Australia because they do so in Russia doesn't make sense. Australia is a free, democratic society that respects (and is supposed to protect) human rights.

When the flag was originally banned, it was because some Russian supporters had simply hung one up while watching a match. No harm was done, and as far as I know, the only person who objected was the Ukrainian ambassador. Because of the ban, now we are seeing people "chanting pro-Russian slogans" and "inappropriate flags and symbols and threatened security guards." It's a classic example of the Streisand effect.

But that's the point. Russia doesn't have free speech. Australia supposedly does.

He hasn't been arrested, so there has been no infringement of his freedom of speech.

He's been made a pariah. Freedom from prosecution for one's speech does not equal freedom from consequence for one's speech.

 It's a classic example of the Streisand effect.

Which is a classic example of using an obscure reference most people are not familiar with.

making the argument that you can police people's thoughts, and the expression thereof, in Australia because they do so in Russia doesn't make sense.

That’s not the argument I’m making.

I’m saying it’s typical Putin double speak to complain about a ban implemented by a private enterprise, involving no greater punishment than being asked to leave, while supporting a vicious terrorist regime that has people locked up and worse for calling a war a war.

Strangerland,

He hasn't been arrested, so there has been no infringement of his freedom of speech.

He's been made a pariah. Freedom from prosecution for one's speech does not equal freedom from consequence for one's speech.

It depends on the consequence. If someone excersising their free speech was physically attacked, for example, that would be an illegal action requiring a response by police.

But you are absolutely right, which is why I acknowledged that "Tennis Australia is not a government entity and can ban what they like." I do think it speaks to the values of the people in that country though. I would hope that human freedoms aren't simply something for the government to decide. You either value them, or you don't.

cleo,

I’m saying it’s typical Putin double speak to complain about a ban implemented by a private enterprise, involving no greater punishment than being asked to leave, while supporting a vicious terrorist regime that has people locked up and worse for calling a war a war.

But they weren't doing that. They were supporting their country's athlete in an international sports competition, the same as every single other fan in the place. Sports and politics should remain separate, in my opinion. A pipe dream, I acknowledge.

They were supporting their country's athlete in an international sports competition, the same as every single other fan in the place.

You don’t put a picture of a dictator on the flag you’re waving to support an athlete. Waving Putin’s face around can only be construed as supporting the Putin regime and its vile acts.

Not the athlete.

He weaponised the flag when he put Putin"s image on it.

Yes, after the fact the attacker would be arrested for assault. That doesn't change the fact that the person who made the speech faced consequences for their speech, yet did not have their freedom of speech violated, as they were not arrested for what they said.

So, the only entity that can violate a person's right is the government, and the only possible way to violate someone's right is to arrest them?

They faced inappropriate consequences. If you face an illegal response to exercising your right, your right has been violated, and in arresting the person who attacked you, whatever government agency is, in effect, protecting that right. As per the social contract.

If you were fired from your job because of an expressed belief, that wasn't work related, would you just shrug and say, 'Well, at least I wasn't arrested?' or would you feel that your right to hold and express opinions had been violated?

You don’t put a picture of a dictator on the flag you’re waving to support an athlete. Waving Putin’s face around can only be construed as supporting the Putin regime and its vile acts.

Not the athlete.

I was talking about the original ban. But I agree with your comment. That's just antagonistic. But I will say, again, that if the ban hadn't been made in the first place, it probably wouldn't have escalated to that.

Knowing things is great. Using little-known, rarely-used terminology in conversation is not so great.

If only people reading conversations on the internet had access to the internet, I guess.

Doesn't matter anymore - Djokovic's father already made an apology statement