Wednesday, June 10, 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

    Two Indians Still In IS Captivity In Libya

    Two Indians Still In IS Captivity In Libya
    Even as the Indian government is continuing efforts for the release of the two - Balram Kishan and T. Gopikrishna, Congress leader Manish Tewari sought to know sarcastically if India was "doing business" with terror outfit IS in Libya.

    Two Indians Still In IS Captivity In Libya

    Rejoicing For 50,000 People On India-Bangla Border At End To Stateless Existence

    For the around 14,000 people living in 51 Bangladeshi enclaves in Indian territory, and the 37,000 residing in 111 Indian enclaves in Bangladesh, they now have a country of their own.

    Rejoicing For 50,000 People On India-Bangla Border At End To Stateless Existence

    Two Indians Still In Islamic State Captivity In Libya

    Two Indians Still In Islamic State Captivity In Libya
    Anxiety enveloped the families of two Indians who continue to remain in captivity of suspected Islamic State militants in Sirte in Libya a day after their two other Indian colleagues were released

    Two Indians Still In Islamic State Captivity In Libya

    World Archery: India's Rajat Chauhan Wins Silver At World Archery Championships

    World Archery: India's Rajat Chauhan Wins Silver At World Archery Championships
    Indian archer Rajat Chauhan bagged a historic silver for India as he put up a tough fight but went down to Stephan Hansen of Denmark in the men's compound final at the World Championships here on Saturday.

    World Archery: India's Rajat Chauhan Wins Silver At World Archery Championships

    Michelle Obama Wants To Be Beyonce

    United States' First Lady Michelle Obama has joked that she wants to be singer Beyonce Knowles.

    Michelle Obama Wants To Be Beyonce

    British-indian Woman Tanya Gohil Sells Food To Fund School In India

    British-indian Woman Tanya Gohil Sells Food To Fund School In India
    A British-Indian woman is selling Indian street food in London to fund a school for girls in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer town, a media report said.

    British-indian Woman Tanya Gohil Sells Food To Fund School In India