Tuesday, June 9, 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

    J.P. Morgan Securities Analyst Ashish Aggarwal Charged With Insider Trading

    J.P. Morgan Securities Analyst Ashish Aggarwal Charged With Insider Trading
    A young Silicon Valley investment banker of Indian descent and two of his friends have been charged with insider trading in a scheme that allegedly netted them more than $600,000, Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell announced Tuesday.

    J.P. Morgan Securities Analyst Ashish Aggarwal Charged With Insider Trading

    US Court Rejects Sikhs For Justice's Case Against Sonia Gandhi In 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots

    US Court Rejects Sikhs For Justice's Case Against Sonia Gandhi In 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots
    Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) filed a lawsuit in 2013 against Sonia Gandhi for allegedly shielding and protecting Congress party leaders accused of inciting violence against the Sikhs

    US Court Rejects Sikhs For Justice's Case Against Sonia Gandhi In 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots

    Two US Journalists Shot Dead On Live TV In Virginia

    Two US Journalists Shot Dead On Live TV In Virginia
    Alison Parker was doing the interview at about 6.45 a.m. at Bridgewater Plaza near Moneta, Virginia, when shots rang out

    Two US Journalists Shot Dead On Live TV In Virginia

    British Indian Shopkeeper Fights Off Knife-Wielding Robber In Wiltshire County

    British Indian Shopkeeper Fights Off Knife-Wielding Robber In Wiltshire County
    Narendra Patel, 61, who runs Sherborne News in South West England's Wiltshire county, was threatened by the robber wielding a seven-inch blade.

    British Indian Shopkeeper Fights Off Knife-Wielding Robber In Wiltshire County

    Uganda Sends Illegal Migrants Back To India

    Uganda Sends Illegal Migrants Back To India
    Uganda has sent back all Indians who were trafficked into the country after being promised jobs in South Africa, media reports said.

    Uganda Sends Illegal Migrants Back To India

    IS Photos Show 'Palmyra Temple Destruction'

    IS Photos Show 'Palmyra Temple Destruction'
    The Islamic State (IS) terror group on Tuesday published photos of what appears to be the destruction of the Temple of Baalshamin at the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria, media reported.

    IS Photos Show 'Palmyra Temple Destruction'