Kosovan Olympic Committee requires disciplinary motion in opposition to Novak Djokovic | CNN

CNN
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The Kosovan Olympic Committee (KOC) has known as for the Worldwide Olympic Committee (IOC) and Worldwide Tennis Federation (ITF) to take disciplinary motion in opposition to Serbian tennis participant Novak Djokovic.

On Monday, Djokovic left a political message on a TV digicam lens on the French Open in response to violent clashes in Kosovo, writing: “Kosovo is the [heart symbol] of Serbia. Cease the violence” in Serbian.

In a letter written by KOC President Ismet Krasniqi and addressed to the IOC, the KOC mentioned Djokovic’s message “breached the basic precept of the IOC constitution on the purpose of political neutrality and concerned yet one more political assertion in sport.”

CNN has reached out to Djokovic’s illustration for remark.

The KOC claimed Djokovic “but once more promoted the Serbian nationalists propaganda and used the game platform to take action,” thereby elevating “the extent of pressure and violence between the 2 nations, Kosovo and Serbia.”

Tensions have been rising prior to now week in Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008. There have been clashes with protestors on Monday after ethnically Albanian mayors took workplace in northern Kosovo, a majority Kosovo Serb space, following April elections that Kosovo Serbs had boycotted.

Djokovic elaborated on his message in Serbian at a press convention this week, saying: “That is the least I may have executed. I really feel the accountability as a public determine – doesn’t matter wherein area – to offer help.

“Particularly as a son of a person born in Kosovo, I really feel the necessity to give my help to our individuals and to the whole lot of Serbia. I don’t know, and I believe many others don’t know, what the longer term brings for Kosovo and for Serbian individuals, nevertheless it’s mandatory to point out help and show unity in these sorts of conditions.”

Djokovic’s reference to the “entirety of Serbia” displays the coverage of the Serbian authorities, which nonetheless considers Kosovo to be an integral a part of its territory and has not acknowledged the nation’s independence.

Krasniqi warned that, if no motion was taken in opposition to Djokovic, it “units a harmful precedent that sport can be utilized as a platform for political messages.”

He added: “I respectfully urge that IOC reacts inside its framework and requests to the ITF to observe the ideas regulated by the Olympic Constitution and examine on this matter by opening a disciplinary proceedings in opposition to the athlete.”

In a press release despatched to CNN, an ITF spokesperson mentioned: “We’ve obtained and acknowledged a letter from the Kosovo Tennis Federation and have forwarded it to the related Grand Slam authority.

“Guidelines for participant conduct at a Grand Slam occasion are ruled by the Grand Slam rulebook, administered by the related organiser and regulator. There isn’t any provision on this that prohibits political statements.”

The IOC instructed CNN that the French Open is run by the related grand slam authority and ruled by their guidelines.

“Solely through the Olympic Video games the gamers are underneath the authority of the IOC,” it mentioned.

Djokovic performs within the second spherical of the French Open in opposition to Hungary’s Márton Fucsovics on Wednesday.