Friday, June 5, 2026
ADVT 
International

Sikh Man Kicked Out Of Wimbledon Queue For 'Making People Uncomfortable'

IANS, 13 Jul, 2016 12:45 PM
    A 20-year-old Sikh man was kicked out of an overnight queue to watch the Wimbledon tennis championships as he apparently made other people around him "uncomfortable".
     
    Govindpal Kooner took to Facebook last week to voice his anger at being thrown out and claimed it was an act of racism, cases of which have reported a rise in the wake of Britain's vote to leave the European Union (EU).
     
    He wrote on Friday: "Kicked out of the overnight camping line for centre court Wimbledon line 'because you make some people around you uncomfortable, so we're gonna have to report you and ask you to leave immediately, sir'".
     

    "Post-Brexit racism and the overt rise of neo-facism. Please advise how best to report this," he said.
     
    The sportsman who himself dreams of playing professional tennis was eventually allowed to enter the ground after re-queuing in the line a few hours later and made an official complaint about his treatment.
     
    "I felt awful. I felt like I should've fought and negotiated but I backed down and silently left. I don't feel like I'm ever going back now. It's still one of my favourite tournaments but can no longer definitively say it's a lifelong dream to play on centre court," he was quoted as saying by Metro.
     
    Dozens of people responded to his post saying he should report the "discrimination" to police.
     
    A Wimbledon spokesperson said: "We can confirm that a gentleman was asked to leave the queue at 4.42 am this morning (Friday) after a number of complaints from his fellow queuers about his behaviour."
     
    He has previously been warned about his conduct in The Queue on up to six separate occasions during this year's Championships.
     
    "We do acknowledge, however, that in this instance the event safety staff could have provided a better explanation to him. Happily, the same person has been in the Grounds today (Friday) watching the tennis," he said.
     
    But the man insists he did nothing that would warrant being escorted off the grounds, was not intoxicated, loud or aggressive and had not been previously warned about his behaviour.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Harvard University Evacuates Four Buildings After Bomb Scare

    Harvard University said on Monday it received "unconfirmed" bomb threat which prompted the university to evacuate four buildings on its campus.

    Harvard University Evacuates Four Buildings After Bomb Scare

    Justin Trudeau Pushes Youth, Growth, Diversity, And Mobbed For Selfies, At G20

    Justin Trudeau Pushes Youth, Growth, Diversity, And Mobbed For Selfies, At G20
    Justin Trudeau used his international debut Sunday to tell a top tier G20 business audience that long-term investments in infrastructure and youth are the keys to growth, not a preoccupation with short-term profits.

    Justin Trudeau Pushes Youth, Growth, Diversity, And Mobbed For Selfies, At G20

    One Paris Attacker Identified; France To Revise Security Strategy

    One Paris Attacker Identified; France To Revise Security Strategy
    Prosecutors identified the terrorist as Omar Ismail Mostefai, a 29-year-old French citizen of Algerian origin with a criminal record.

    One Paris Attacker Identified; France To Revise Security Strategy

    Goa-Origin Antonio Costa In Line For Portuguese PM? Kin Keep Fingers Crossed

    Goa-Origin Antonio Costa In Line For Portuguese PM? Kin Keep Fingers Crossed
    Goa, with a large diaspora spread across the world, may well have one of its own in queue for Portuguese premiership

    Goa-Origin Antonio Costa In Line For Portuguese PM? Kin Keep Fingers Crossed

    Three Paris Attackers Came From Brussels, One Still At Large

    Three Paris Attackers Came From Brussels, One Still At Large
    Three of the assailants in the Paris terror attack came from Brussels, three Belgian cars were involved and one suspected assailant was on the run, media reports said on Sunday.

    Three Paris Attackers Came From Brussels, One Still At Large

    Modi Predicts 8 Percent India Growth, Seeks United Anti-terror Stand At G20 Summit

    Modi Predicts 8 Percent India Growth, Seeks United Anti-terror Stand At G20 Summit
    In his intervention at the G20 working session in this Mediterranean city in Turkey on "Inclusive Growth: Global Economy, Growth Strategies, Employment and Investment Strategies", Modi said India was likely to grow at 7.5 percent this year

    Modi Predicts 8 Percent India Growth, Seeks United Anti-terror Stand At G20 Summit