Sport and politics do mix, says Murray, as he defends athletes’ right to freedom of speech

SIR Andy Murray has defended players’ right to freedom of speech amid a row over comments made by Novak Djokovic on Kosovan independence.

The two-time Wimbledon champion said athletes should be allowed to make political messages at events but warned against “hypocrisy” .

While Sir Andy did not directly comment on Djokovic’s comments, he said: “No athlete should be stopped from freedom of speech, I don’t think that’s fair. You often hear athletes, journalists and commentators say that sports and politics shouldn’t mix, but they do.”

Sir Andy’s comments come after Djokovic triggered a backlash at his first match in Paris at the French Open on Monday after writing a nationalist slogan on a camera lens. The Serbian tennis player wrote: “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop violence.”

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and is recognised by 100 countries, but Belgrade has refused to do so.

Djokovic was unable to appear at the US Open last year and several other high-profile events because of rules during the pandemic that required visitors to prove they had been vaccinated.

The player has said he would not “want to be forced by someone to take a vaccine in order to be able to travel”.

Sir Andy, 36, added that athletes need to be “careful not to be hypocritical” when making political statements. He said: “When politics have supposedly influenced decisions that have been harmful to their careers they argue sports and politics should not mix.

“But then they’re more than happy to talk on matters that they agree with.”

Sir Andy claimed athletes liked having photographs taken with prime ministers and world leaders, as long as their politics aligned.

“Prime ministers and government officials celebrate athletes’ victories and big wins. They’re always around at sporting events and it is a privilege to be invited to the White House or Downing Street. [Athletes] have a responsibility to try and bring people together and not necessarily to divide each other.”