Passionate about sport, cinema and television (on and behind the screen) since childhood, Bernard has been a journalist for 10 Sport since 2018. More skilful with the keyboard in hand than with the ball, he decided to mainly cover a much-loved sport, criticized and hated both (football) and a sport that is not (wrestling).

Novak Djokovic collects Grand Slam titles but also controversy. Victorious in the first round of Roland-Garros on Monday, the Serb wrote a political and controversial message concerning Kosovo on the traditional camera dedicated to player signings. Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, Minister of Sports, reframed the former world number 1 who is not on his first try.

Chaining the titles of the Grand Slam, with 22 coronations after his victory in Australia, tied with Raphael Nadal, Novak Djokovic also knows how to collect controversy. The Serb drags behind him a reputation as a provocateur, known for not having his tongue in his pocket when discussing certain sulphurous subjects. And this new Roland Garros was no exception..

Djokovic takes a stand in the midst of the conflict between Serbia and Kosovo

Victorious without trembling in the first round in this year 2023 against Aleksandar Kovacevic (6-3, 6-2, 7-6 [1]), Novak Djokovic was more talked about for his departure from the Philippe Chatrier court than for his debut on Parisian clay. When registering his signature on the dedicated camera as is customary for winning players, nole decided to display his political opinions, writing the sentence: ” Kosovo is the heart of Serbia! Stop the violence. A political and controversial message, written in Cyrillic, at a time when tensions between Serbia and Kosovo have increased in recent weeks. As a reminder, the country of Novak Djokovic has been contesting the self-proclaimed independence of Kosovo, a former Serbian province, since 2008.

” I think it’s not appropriatereacted Wednesday on France 2 Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, Minister of Sports. It is a message which is militant, which is very political. The tournament director was able to discuss with him, with his entourage, it must not start again. “Not enough to encourage Novak Djokovic to lay low. ” I don’t regret doing itreplied the world number 3 on Wednesday, after his victory against Martin fucsovics (7-6 [2]6-0, 6-3) in the 2nd round of Roland Garros. You have my quote if you still want to talk about it. I know a lot of people disagree with me, but that’s the way it is. That’s all. A Grand Slam without drama, I don’t think that’s possible for me. We remember in particular his controversial medical interruptions, Djokovic being suspected of exaggerating his physical glitches as was the case at theUS Open 2008.

His refusal to be vaccinated against Covid-19 weighed on his 2022 season

Indeed, difficult for Novak Djokovic not to find oneself in the middle of drama “. His position on vaccination at the end of the Covid-19 crisis is still remembered and had divided the world of tennis. A case that had obviously gone beyond the framework of sport by taking a very strong political turn, and weighed down his season. Refusing to be vaccinated, nole had found himself at the heart of a scandal in Australia at the start of 2022, deprived of a Grand Slam and deported as an outcast by immigration officials. Part of public opinion then sided with the conspirators, while Djokovic then had to give up theU.S. Openentry into the United States remaining subject to the vaccination obligation.

” Based on all the information about the vaccine, I decided not to get vaccinated. It’s my stancehe justified himself in 2022, in the columns of The Team. Will it change or not? I don’t know, everything is changing quite quickly, we can see it in the decisions of certain governments (1). Right now I don’t feel like I need it to protect my body and I don’t feel like I’m a threat to others. Whether you are vaccinated or not, you can still transmit the virus. This is my position and, for the rest, my mind is completely open. Everything is possible. My body is my tool, my main asset. As a top athlete, I need to take care of it to be competitive and consistent. And, throughout these years, I thank with great gratitude this body for all the successes I have had, because I was able to recover very quickly after so many very difficult matches.. »

A tournament at the origin of a cluster in the midst of a pandemic

A few months earlier, and in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Novak Djokovic had already been hit by the subject. In May 2020, the Serb launched the “Adria Tour“, a series of humanitarian tournaments in the Balkans which turned into a giant cluster. No health measures had been put in place, with the public in the stands and festive outings during which several players had contracted the disease. “ Stupid decision to do the exhibition (…), that’s what happens when you don’t respect the protocols. This is not a joke “, had tackled Nick Kyrgios. Djokoviche had already displayed his position before the start of the controversial tournament: “ Personally, I am opposed to vaccination and would not like to be forced by someone to be vaccinated in order to be fit to travel. But if it becomes mandatory, what will happen? I will have to make a decision. I have my own opinion on the matter, will it change at some point, I don’t know. His opinion will be known to all a little later.

When Djokovic praises “energy transformations”

The same year, other scientific analyzes of the player make react. In a live on instagram with Chervin Jafariehpresented as a wellness guru », Novak Djokovic asserts that it is possible to change the composition of water or food through positive thinking. “ I have seen and I know people capable, through energetic transformations, through the power of prayer, of transforming the most toxic food or the most polluted water into the purest water. “, released the Serb, adding that” scientists have shown that the molecules present in water react to our emotions, to what is said. »

The incogru is no stranger to Novak Djkokoviche who inaugurated in Bosnia tennis courts on an archaeological park which would house a pyramid according to its owner, “ larger than that of Cheops and able to revitalize visitors with its mysterious energy. A theory that has not been validated by archaeologists. “ I know there are many doubts, dilemmas about authenticity. In order to fully understand what is going on here (…) you have to come », was justified Djokovic. He is also known to collaborate Pepe Imaza sort of Spanish guru advocating “ love and peace in his workouts, punctuated by hugs and meditations.

troubled relationships

When he’s not talking Novak Djokovic sometimes appears with sulphurous personalities sowing trouble on his opinions. So his message on Kosovo is controversial today, the former world number 1 had shown himself alongside Milano Jolovic after his defeat at theUS Open 2021 as the daily recalls The crossa former commander of a secessionist Bosnian Serb army unit called Wolves of the Drina that participated in the Srebrenica massacres against Bosnian Muslims in 1995. Novak Djokovic also appeared with Milorad Dodik on the occasion of a wedding, a Bosnian Serb political leader known for his separatist positions. Inevitably, this does not go unnoticed.