Saturday, December 20, 2025
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

    Donald Trump Reaches The Magic Number To Clinch Nomination

    Donald Trump Reaches The Magic Number To Clinch Nomination
    Donald Trump reached the number of delegates needed to clinch the Republican nomination for president Thursday, completing an unlikely rise that has upended the political landscape and set the stage for a bitter fall campaign.

    Donald Trump Reaches The Magic Number To Clinch Nomination

    Justin Trudeau Touts Trade To G7 Leaders, Warns Of Protectionism

    Justin Trudeau Touts Trade To G7 Leaders, Warns Of Protectionism
    SHIMA, Japan — Justin Trudeau talked up trade and warned of creeping protectionism Thursday as he met powerful world leaders in a G7 setting for the first time.

    Justin Trudeau Touts Trade To G7 Leaders, Warns Of Protectionism

    Ontario Father Gets 10 Years In Prison After Pleading Guilty In Son's Death

    Ontario Father Gets 10 Years In Prison After Pleading Guilty In Son's Death
    Mario Wint pleaded guilty to manslaughter in April after originally being charged with second-degree murder in the January 2015 death of his two-year-old son, Ty.  

    Ontario Father Gets 10 Years In Prison After Pleading Guilty In Son's Death

    Japan's Prime Minister Puts Heat On Justin Trudeau Over TPP, South China Sea

    Japan's Prime Minister Puts Heat On Justin Trudeau Over TPP, South China Sea
    TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe upped the pressure Tuesday on Justin Trudeau by publicly suggesting his Canadian counterpart's positions had budged on a pair of prickly international files.

    Japan's Prime Minister Puts Heat On Justin Trudeau Over TPP, South China Sea

    Bodies Of Missing Washington Couple Believed To Be Found: Police

    Bodies Of Missing Washington Couple Believed To Be Found: Police
    EVERETT, Wash. — Police say they found the remains of two people they believed to be a woman and her husband who have been missing for six weeks and presumed killed in Washington state.

    Bodies Of Missing Washington Couple Believed To Be Found: Police

    Justin Trudeau Makes Investment Pitch To Japanese Automakers

    Justin Trudeau Makes Investment Pitch To Japanese Automakers
    TOKYO — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau personally invited Japanese auto executives Tuesday in Tokyo to invest more in Canada. But it appears his efforts in Japan won't secure immediate, concrete commitments from the auto industry.

    Justin Trudeau Makes Investment Pitch To Japanese Automakers