Serbian ambassador to Switzerland: How would you react if they treated Federer like Djokovic?

Photo: Tanjug/AP

How would Switzerland react if, for example, the Australian authorities treated Roger Federer the way they are treating Novak Djokovic, Serbian Ambassador to Switzerland Goran Bradic has wondered.

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In an interview for the Swiss daily 20 Minuten, Bradic said that the treatment of the tennis champion in Australia was unfair.

"Maybe Djokovic is a controversial person to some. But he is a professional, a passionate athlete, who wants to play tennis," Bradic underlined.

He pointed out that some Australian politicians heated up the atmosphere and unnecessarily caused the whole affair.

"How would Switzerland react if, for example, Federer was treated like that in Australia or in some other country," Bradic asked, adding that he was surprised by the volume, but also by the general, mostly negative way of reporting by the Swiss media.

Bradic said that citizens who complain about the attitude of the Swiss media towards Djokovic are contacting Serbia's diplomatic and consular missions every day.

"Neither Djokovic, nor Serbs living in Switzerland deserve such treatment," said the ambassador.

Goran Bradic; Photo: Tanjug/Zoran Mirkovic

Bradic stressed that Djokovic is an idol, a hero, not only in Serbia, but in the entire region.

The fact is that Djokovic was invited to participate in the tournament in Australia, he was issued a visa, which was obtained based on documents that are checked and is not easy to get, while Novak was granted an exemption by two independent groups of medical experts.

"Therefore, Djokovic did not enter Australia illegally, on a boat or a raft... but he was interrogated for hours at the airport, and then taken to a hotel with more than questionable accommodation, and that is not right," Bradic stressed.

Asked what he expects to happen next regarding Djokovic, Bradic said that the court impartially and independently ruled in favor of the Serbian athlete, but that the outcome is still unceetain, because it is possible that an Australian minister will use his powers to prevent the world's best tennis player from competing at the Australian Open.

Bradic said he hopes that Djokovic will play, and win in Melbourne.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)