CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | Contact
The fall-out from the disrespect shown towards the fans of Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic, by Channel Nine’s sports anchor Tony Jones, continues today.
As the official broadcast partners for the Australian Open, both Nine and Jones had hoped that a simple apology would be enough, but it seems the Australian media has gravely underestimated the Serbian people’s ability to hold a grudge.
At the height of the tournament’s exciting early stages, Jones caused outrage amongst the highly competitive Serbian community when he chanted, “Novak, he’s overrated, Novak’s a has-been, Novak, kick him out,” during live Australian Open television coverage in front of the tennis star’s loudest and proudest supporters.
In news that only stirs up the Serbians even more, Channel Nine has since revealed that they’ve been boosted security arrangements for their reporters in response to backlash from the community.
Even despite Jones making an on-air apology to Djokovic and his fans for “any disrespect” – the network has only poured fuel on the fire by suggesting that the Serbian community are dangerous.
These comments are now looking like a spotfire that could easily jump the creek and become a raging black summer, after the 10-time Open champion made a point of boycotting post-match interviews.
In the context of former Prime Minister Scott Morrison using Djokovic’s anti-vax views as a scapegoat for the government’s bungled vaccine roll-out in 2022, the Australian political class has form in offending Serbians.
It’s for this reason that the new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has urged “kindness and generosity” between the media and fans, as the Serbian Council of Australia move to lodge a human rights complaint and call for Jones to be fired.
With Nine’s executives completely at a loss over how to best hose down the hostilities caused by their network’s inability to navigate multiculturalism, Tony Jones will now be ordered to meet with the community.
As of tonight, the Nine presenter will be forced to sit in white plastic chair in Footscray, listening to an elderly Serbian man talk about the history of both Eastern Europe and tennis for 6 uninterrupted hours.
He will also be required to drink homemade rajika out of a recycled Coke bottle with no label, and chain smoke cigarettes.
He will speak only when spoken to, and must not correct any historical or scientific inaccuracies made by Dede, regardless of how bold the claims are. Only then, will he truly understand how to keep his mouth shut, and navigate the cultural nuances and sensitivities of the Serbian people.
