Friday, June 12, 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

    Modi Arrives In China, Visits Terracotta Warriors Museum And Ancient Buddhist Temple In Xi'an

    Modi Arrives In China, Visits Terracotta Warriors Museum And Ancient Buddhist Temple In Xi'an
    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reached the Chinese city of Xi'an on the first leg of his three-nation tour that will see him visiting China, Mongolia and South Korea.

    Modi Arrives In China, Visits Terracotta Warriors Museum And Ancient Buddhist Temple In Xi'an

    13-Year-Old Indian-American Boy Raghav Ganesh Wins $5,000 Award For Device To Help Blind

    13-Year-Old Indian-American Boy Raghav Ganesh Wins $5,000 Award For Device To Help Blind
    The device built by Ganesh of San Jose, California uses sensors to detect objects beyond the reach of the white canes used by many blind people.

    13-Year-Old Indian-American Boy Raghav Ganesh Wins $5,000 Award For Device To Help Blind

    Former B.C. Liberal, Independent, MLA John Slater dies

    Former B.C. Liberal, Independent, MLA John Slater dies
    John Slater, who was 63, was elected in 2009 as a Liberal in the riding of Boundary-Similkameen, but ended his career in provincial politics as an Independent after the Liberal party did not endorse his candidacy for the 2013 election.

    Former B.C. Liberal, Independent, MLA John Slater dies

    India Denounces Arms Suppliers To Terrorists; Pakistan Blames Demand From 'Unresolved Conflicts'

    India Denounces Arms Suppliers To Terrorists; Pakistan Blames Demand From 'Unresolved Conflicts'
    India has hit out against countries that as a "deliberate policy" arm terrorists and called for stricter international action against suppliers to curb the illicit trade in small weapons.

    India Denounces Arms Suppliers To Terrorists; Pakistan Blames Demand From 'Unresolved Conflicts'

    Hindu Population Up In USA, Becomes Fourth-Largest Faith

    Hindu Population Up In USA, Becomes Fourth-Largest Faith
    Fueled by immigration, America's Hindu population has reached 2.23 million, an increase of about one million or 85.8 percent since 2007, making Hinduism the fourth-largest faith

    Hindu Population Up In USA, Becomes Fourth-Largest Faith

    Canada becomes Modi-fied

    Canada becomes Modi-fied
    Asserting a spirit of trust and transformation in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his highly productive tri-nation visit to Canada with a landmark deal of over seven million pounds of uranium to an energy-hungry India.

    Canada becomes Modi-fied