Sunday, June 14, 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

    Indian-Origin Duo Develop App To Detect Sleep Apnoea At Home

    Indian-Origin Duo Develop App To Detect Sleep Apnoea At Home
    A team of Indian-American researchers from the University of Washington (UW) has developed an app that uses a smartphone to wirelessly test for obstructive sleep apnoea in a person's bedroom.

    Indian-Origin Duo Develop App To Detect Sleep Apnoea At Home

    Indo-Canadian NBA Player Sim Bhullar To Visit India In May

    Indo-Canadian NBA Player Sim Bhullar To Visit India In May
    Sim Bhullar, who became the first Indian-origin player to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the US, will visit India from May 2 to 7 to promote basketball and inspire children to stay active and healthy by playing the game.

    Indo-Canadian NBA Player Sim Bhullar To Visit India In May

    US Lawmakers Move To Speed Up Visa Approvals For Indian Doctors

    US Lawmakers Move To Speed Up Visa Approvals For Indian Doctors
    Citing a shortage of physicians in the US, two lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan legislation to speed-up visa approval for Indian and Pakistani doctors slated to work at US hospitals.

    US Lawmakers Move To Speed Up Visa Approvals For Indian Doctors

    Over 1,800 Dead in Nepal Earthquake; Fresh Tremors Rock Delhi, Northern India

    Over 1,800 Dead in Nepal Earthquake; Fresh Tremors Rock Delhi, Northern India
    An Indian meteorological official said here the epicentre of the fresh tremors also lay in Nepal, where a powerful earthquake on Saturday killed nearly 2,000 people.

    Over 1,800 Dead in Nepal Earthquake; Fresh Tremors Rock Delhi, Northern India

    155 Killed As 7.9 Earthquake Rocks Nepal, Shakes India

    155 Killed As 7.9 Earthquake Rocks Nepal, Shakes India
    At least 155 people were killed and many were left bloodied when a massive earthquake shook Nepal and India, causing widespread devastation. Buildings collapsed, roads cracked and phone lines snapped as the earth trembled.

    155 Killed As 7.9 Earthquake Rocks Nepal, Shakes India

    Islamic State Kills 10 People, Shoots Down Plane In Syria

    Islamic State Kills 10 People, Shoots Down Plane In Syria
    Islamic State (IS) militants killed 10 people, many of them Kurds, in northern Syria on Friday and shot down a military aircraft in the south of the country, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, or SOHR, reported.

    Islamic State Kills 10 People, Shoots Down Plane In Syria