Spectators at the Australian Open tennis tournament have been ordered to take off and hand over anti Communist China shirts and signs, with officials saying it is a condition of entry that no political slogans be brandished.
ESPN reports that a security official was recorded Saturday seizing the material.
“The Australian Open does have a rule that you can’t have political slogans,” the official noted, adding “it’s a rule that it’s a condition of entry.”
The shirts and banner read “Where is Peng Shuai?”, referring to the previous disappearance of the Chinese tennis star who accused a high ranking CCP official of sexually assaulting her.
After not being seen for weeks, Shuai reappeared looking worse for wear and immediately retracted the assault claims.
The official at the Australian Open proclaimed that “Tennis Australia does set the rules, and regardless of what you’re saying — and I’m not saying you can’t have those views — but I am saying that Tennis Australia sets the rules here.”
“We are allowed to confiscate the shirts and the banner,” the security official declared.
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Tennis legend Martina Navratilova called Tennis Australia’s actions “cowardly.”
“I find it really, really cowardly. I think they are wrong on this. This is not a political statement, this is a human rights statement.” Navratilova urged.
“[Tennis Australia is] just really capitulating on this issue … letting the Chinese really dictate what they do at their own Slam. I just find it really weak.” the former champion further asserted.
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Tennis Australia previously confiscated Novak Djokovic signs from fans in the arena at the Open, declaring that they were “inappropriate” following the star’s detention and subsequent deportation from the country over vaccine requirements.
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