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

    Chabahar Agreement Inked: Narendra Modi Calls It Creation Of History

    Chabahar Agreement Inked: Narendra Modi Calls It Creation Of History
    The two sides also signed 12 agreements, including on science and technology, culture and railways and three on the port itself.

    Chabahar Agreement Inked: Narendra Modi Calls It Creation Of History

    Smriti Irani In Bitter Twitter Spat With Congress Spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi

    Smriti Irani In Bitter Twitter Spat With Congress Spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi
    A Twitter spat broke out between Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi and Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani on Monday with the latter taking potshots at the Congress for its defeat in Assam even as she denied getting 'Z' category security.

    Smriti Irani In Bitter Twitter Spat With Congress Spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi

    India, Thailand, Myanmar To Be Connected With A 1400 KM Road

    India, Thailand, Myanmar To Be Connected With A 1400 KM Road
    India, Thailand and Myanmar are working on a 1,400-kilometre long highway that will link India with Southeast Asia by land for the first time in decades, giving a boost to trade and cultural exchanges between the three countries.

    India, Thailand, Myanmar To Be Connected With A 1400 KM Road

    Killed Indian's Family At Memorial For Brussels Terror Attack Victims

    Killed Indian's Family At Memorial For Brussels Terror Attack Victims
    A ceremony was held at the Royal Palace here on Sunday in remembrance for the March 22 terror attacks victims, which included a young Indian techie.

    Killed Indian's Family At Memorial For Brussels Terror Attack Victims

    Modi Gifts Iran's Supreme Leader Reproduction Of Rare 7th Century Quran Manuscript

    Modi Gifts Iran's Supreme Leader Reproduction Of Rare 7th Century Quran Manuscript
    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday gifted Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei a specially commissioned reproduction of a rare seventh-century manuscript of the Holy Quran attributed to Hazrat Ali, the fourth caliph.

    Modi Gifts Iran's Supreme Leader Reproduction Of Rare 7th Century Quran Manuscript

    Sikh Councilman Called Terrorist’ By Donald Trump Supporter; He Hits Back

    Sikh Councilman Called Terrorist’ By Donald Trump Supporter; He Hits Back
    Ravinder Bhalla is also an attorney and a founding member of the national Sikh Bar Association.  

    Sikh Councilman Called Terrorist’ By Donald Trump Supporter; He Hits Back