WATCH: Wimbledon struck by ‘Just Stop Oil’ interruptions as protestors halt the Grigor Dimitrov Vs. Sho Shimabukuro match
Just Stop Oil protesters cause trouble once again as match halted at Wimbledon.
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Court 18 protest (Image via Twitter)
Modern sports are going through a bit of disruption nowadays. Protesters putting matches on halt with their untimely interruption has caused many problems for players. With two annoying pauses in play in two different sports in London, protest has become a hot topic of discussion on the internet. ‘Just Stop Oil’ protestors have created trouble for sportsmen big time.
On Day 3 of Wimbledon 2022, court no. 18 saw a disturbing sight as play had to be stopped due to an interruption. Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov took on Japanese Sho Shimabukuro in their first-round match.
However, the match had to come to a halt a little after the first set was done. Dimitrov won the first set 6-1 and a game in the second. That is exactly when the crowd started throwing pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, ultimately disrupting the game. Although the incident may sound comical at first, this gesture was extremely disturbing for the players.
For the uninitiated, something similar happened last week in cricket when England took on Australia at the Lord’s Stadium in London. On day 1, a protestor ran into the stadium. English wicketkeeper Johnny Bairstow, however, came to the rescue. He lifted the protestor and escorted him to the boundary. It was a light moment back then, but a similar disturbance at Wimbledon now has made it a serious issue.
Murray and Norrie have their views on the Just Stop Oil protestors
These protestors are becoming a regular thing now, which raises a lot of concern over players’ safety and management. Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray recently had a few things to say about the issue. He clearly mentioned that he is in support of their protest, but not in the manner in which they are doing it. He believes that will disturb the entire occasion big time. Fellow Brit Cameron Norrie said that he will do exactly what Johnny Bairstow did if something similar happens in his match.
To ensure the safety of players and viewers in the stadium, Wimbledon has come up with strict guidelines. Such heavy penalties are put in place to instill fear in the viewers so that this doesn’t happen again.
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Manan Mehta
(215 Articles Published)