"Especially inappropriate" - Garry Kasparov condemns Novak Djokovic's support of Russian athletes following Wimbledon ban

Chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov has criticized Novak Djokovic's support of Russian athletes, opining that players from the country are supporting the war against Ukraine by not openly condemning president Vladimir Putin.

Putin's troops invaded Ukraine in February, with the war showing no signs of stopping despite catastrophic damage to life and infrastructure in Ukraine. As a result of Putin's actions, Russia has been slapped with a host of sanctions by nations across the world.

Sanctions and suspensions have made their way into the world of sports, with numerous tournaments banning Russian and Belarusian athletes. Tennis is not far behind, with Wimbledon suspending players from both nations.

Serbia's World No. 1 Novak Djokovic was one of several athletes who spoke out against Wimbledon's decision, pointing out that the All England Club is discriminating against players based on their nationality.

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"I personally believe there's no need to suspend Russian players. Competing is their right: there's a rule against discrimination in tennis, which states that everyone can play according to his ranking and not his nationality," Djokovic said. "Wimbledon has violated it."

Garry Kasparov quote-tweeted a tweet containing the above post, stressing that Russian athletes must openly condemn Putin's actions. He believes it is ironic that a Serb is siding with the Russians, given their ugly history.

"Russia may play by ranking, but they kill by nationality. Russian athletes who do not condemn Putin’s war of extermination in Ukraine are supporting it with silence," Garry Kasparov said. "And a Serb failing to do so is especially inappropriate, considering history."

"I will always be the first one to condemn the war" - Novak Djokovic

Speaking to the media after his win over Laslo Djere at the Serbia Open, Djokovic explained that politics must not influence sporting decisions. He pointed out that he is well-versed with the atrocities of war, having grown up in a war-torn Belgrade.

"I will always be the first one to condemn the war. As a child of war, I know what kind of emotional trauma a war leaves," Djokovic said. "Us in Serbia, we know what was happening here in 1999, ordinary people always suffer, we've had a lot of wars in the Balkans. That being said, I cannot support the Wimbledon decision. It's not the athletes' fault. When politics interfere with sports, it usually doesn't turn out well."

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