Original title: VEDRANA RUDAN: THE SMEAR CAMPAIGN AGAINST DJOKOVIC FROM THE WEST IS AN EVIDENCE OF THEIR HATRED TOWARDS EVERYTHING THAT COMES FROM THE BALKANS
On 26.06.2020, the portal Sloboden Svet published an article entitled “VEDRANA RUDAN: THE SMEAR CAMPAIGN AGAINST DJOKOVIC FROM THE WEST IS AN EVIDENCE OF THEIR HATRED TOWARDS EVERYTHING THAT COMES FROM THE BALKANS”. The headline of this article, in order to provoke a reaction, deploys a claim according to which there is a conspiracy theory in the West against Novak Djokovic. The text in the article, which is largely taken from the column of Vedrana Rudan, is originally released on her blog. In the text, she offends and blames “the white people”, Britons and “Westerners” for the alleged hatred towards Djokovic. Vedrana Rudan states that one can feel hatred for every great match of Djokovic that the “white people” express towards him. Also, she accuses the Westerners that for them, Djokovic is above all “a Balkan man”, “black” and “savage”.
The link to the original article can be found here.
The published text is a clickbait with elements of conspiracy theory.
Rudan’s personal opinion is used to deploy the claim that there is a conspiracy theory, according to which the West is against Novak Djokovic. It is emphasized in the very title, in order to cause such a reaction among the public.
The truth is that the West is not against Novak Djokovic. On the contrary, he as a tennis player, has the opportunity to participate in many international tournaments, where there is an equal opportunity to compete with all tennis players in an equal way, under the same rules and protocols.
The information that Novak Djokovic is positive to the coronavirus proved to be an ideal opportunity for a clickbait and to spread numerous manipulations. Anyone infected with coronavirus must not be used for any kind of manipulation or wicked and inseminy comments.
It is true that Djokovic, who is the best tennis player in the world, urged his colleagues to a series of tournaments that were to be played in Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. His intention was to keep the tennis players in good shape and gather donations. It is questionable whether the pandemic is the ideal time for such a sporting event, which was to gather a larger group of people who did not follow the actual world recommendations for protection against the coronavirus, regardless of the fact that according to the information, in some countries there was an impression that the virus was defeated. Regular tennis tournaments are still paused.
An additional damage to his image these days was also made by the Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabic, who defended Djokovic, pointing out that she should be blamed for the Adria Tour and not he.
The pandemic showed that it is still strong, it’s not over, and the virus is present and easily spread.
The Adria Tour has become a lesson that the requirements for restrictive protocols exist for a reason, and anyone, without exception, even the best ones, must be responsible and respect the recommendations.
Neither the West, nor the East, or any side or country, for now, don’t have a successful tool that will cope with the virus without any victims.
The thesis in the title of the text is a conspiracy theory that is manipulative. There is no conspiracy theory of Western forces aimed at Novak Djokovic. He is the best tennis player, but still he is not free from the responsibility for respecting the world’s recommendations for dealing with the pandemic. Respecting recommendations and restrictive measures contribute to preventing the spread of the virus.
The F2N2 team assesses this article as manipulative, with elements of clickbait and conspiracy theory. The purpose of the article is to manipulate and convince the public that the West is against the best tennis player, which is certainly not true. Politics and politicians should stay away from sports and athletes because that’s the only way they can help them.
