“Did they ban Americans when they killed millions in Iraq?” Novak Djokovic’s ex coach calls out the hypocrisy behind the decision to ban Russian athletes


“Did they ban Americans when they killed millions in Iraq?” Novak Djokovic’s ex coach calls out the hypocrisy behind the decision to ban Russian athletes

Daniil Medvedev and Nicola Pilic

In the wake of widespread bans on Russian athletes in response to their country’s military incursion in Ukraine, a coach who was instrumental in the development of current tennis world number one Novak Djokovic has condemned Russophobia. Nikola Pilic runs a tennis academy in Munich where players like Novak Djokovic and Michael Stich, the 1991 Wimbledon champion, have trained.

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“It’s just a shame”- Nikola Pilic

Nicola Pilic | Tennis News | FirstSportz
Nikola Pilic

In an interview with Serbian publication Kurir, the Croat was asked about the restrictions that Russian athletes are currently facing, and he described them as “shameful.” “It’s just a shame,” Pilic continued. “Did they do something similar when the Americans entered Iraq and killed over a million civilians there? Did they ban their tennis players from playing?” he asked. “They are exaggerating in any sense.” 

While Russian tennis players can continue to compete, they must do so under a neutral status, meaning they cannot display their country’s flag. To compete at Wimbledon this summer, UK Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston has suggested that players like Djokovic’s 2021 US Open final opponent Daniil Medvedev must guarantee that they are “not receiving money from Putin, Russia, or Belarus [and] that they will not be making supportive comments of Putin, Russia, or Belarus.”

Pilic, on the other hand, is unsurprised by such developments, claiming that “it’s been like that for the last 150 years” in terms of “Russophobia in Britain.” With the 26-year-old Moscow native out of play due to a little hernia operation, Pilic projected that Medvedev “will have a problem” returning to the courts in time for the French Open on May 22.

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“When you haven’t played for a month, you need so much time after the operation and even more to come back… We’ve seen now with Nole, how it goes,” Pilic said, pointing to Djokovic’s struggles to return to top form following his visa and vaccine scandal which saw him deported from Australia. “When there is a big break, then big problems arise,” Pilic concluded.

Wimbledon is ‘ready to ban’ Daniil Medvedev 

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Daniil Medvedev

Wimbledon is preparing to ban Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev, fearing that a victory would give Vladimir Putin a boost, according to The Telegraph. In March, there was talk of banning Russian players who did not publicly criticise Putin and his country’s invasion of Ukraine. Medvedev has not openly condemned the invasion, but he has not lived in Russia for more than ten years. The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), where the tournament is hosted, has had “discussions” to determine their next measures, according to UK sports minister Nigel Huddleston.

Since the AELTC has an independent tournament status, it could ban Russian and Belarusian athletes without facing any legal consequences. Russian and Belarusian athletes have currently been able to compete in ATP, WTA, and ITF events playing under a neutral flag. Wimbledon’s independence from those groups means they can make their own rules, though.

Also Read: Novak Djokovic to lead a power-packed lineup for Madrid Masters along with Rafael Nadal, Daniil Medvedev, and Alexander Zverev

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