Australian Open: Four spectators questioned after Russia flags waved

Russian flags person been banned astatine the Australian Open

Four spectators astatine the Australian Open person been questioned by constabulary aft Russian flags were waved and information guards allegedly threatened.

But Russian flags - including 1 with president Vladimir Putin's look connected it - were seen astatine Melbourne Park.

Police intervened aft Russian Andrey Rublev's decision against Serbia's Novak Djokovic, said a connection from tourney organisers .

A instrumentality was besides wearing a t-shirt with the missive 'Z' - a pro-war awesome of President Putin's penetration of Ukraine.

Photographs amusement the antheral being spoken to by an Australian Open authoritative connected Rod Laver Arena.

An Australian Open authoritative speaks to a antheral wearing a t-shirt with a 'Z' symbol

"Four radical successful the assemblage leaving the stadium revealed inappropriate flags and symbols and threatened information guards," Tennis Australia, which runs the tournament, said successful a statement.

"Victoria Police intervened and are continuing to question them.

"The comfortableness and information of everyone is our precedence and we enactment intimately with information and authorities."

Russian and Belarusian athletes person not been capable to play nether their countries' flags successful respective sports, including tennis, since the penetration of Ukraine began successful February past year.

While players from the 2 countries are competing nether a neutral achromatic emblem during the Australian Open, they were banned from playing astatine Wimbledon altogether successful 2022.

Spectators astatine the Australian Open were initially permitted to bring Russian and Belarusian flags into Melbourne Park connected the information they did not origin "disruption".

But the organisers reversed that determination past week aft fans displayed a Russian emblem during a lucifer betwixt Ukraine's Kateryna Baindl and Russian Kamilla Rakhimova.

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