Clockwise from top left: Ash Barty, Novak Djokovic, Cathy Freeman, Peter Norman with Tommie Smith and John Carlos, Neale Daniher, Shelley Taylor-Smith and Emile Zatopek.
Our late mum Margaret always told us nine kids and two foster boys, “No one likes a show off.”
Like most of her mantras, she was right.
This past week has highlighted yet again the incompetence and indecisiveness of the federal government, but it’s also drawn attention once more to the world’s No.1 tennis player Novak Djokovic.
When I think of his fierce rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, I don’t think of them as Swiss or Spanish but it seems that every time controversy lands with Djokovic, suddenly there is a conspiracy against Serbia.
Federer and Nadal play the game with such pure sportsmanship that they have fans from all parts of the world. The same can’t be said of Djokovic, whose insistence on putting opposition players off side and futile efforts to prove himself as popular as the other two have confined his fan base mostly to Serbian nationals.
Some of the diatribe coming from his family back home has been dumbfounding to say the least. Comparisons with Christ and allegations that Djokovic was treated like a prisoner because he was Serbian were preposterous and dangerous.
He was detained for legal reasons regardless of his nationality. A ‘goose’ is a ‘goose’ no matter where you’re from.
There have been many gifted sportspeople over the decades that have been lauded by the media but in my eyes have never been truly challenged on their behaviour because of their wealth and/or status in the game.
I can hear someone like Nick Kyrgios saying, “Well you’re just old and don’t understand us. We like to entertain man.” Yes, well, if smashing racquets and abusing umpires is entertainment then I’ll never watch another game of tennis.
Here’s an idea, how about instead of smashing that $500 racquet, why don’t you take a deep breath, then calmly handover the racquet in one piece to a very appreciative ball kid?
You might actually earn some respect from the crowd as you reach into your bag containing your spare 10 racquets and grab a fresh one as delicately strung as yourself.
The whole Djokovic debacle has been such a sham I wanted to reframe it and remember some of my favourite athletes whose talents weren’t just physical but through their humility, wrote the handbook on sportsmanship for those to follow.
Ash Barty – Goes without saying. Her speech after winning Wimbledon in 2021 was focused solely on her team and a beautiful tribute to her mentor, and other great female tennis role model, Evonne Goolagong Cawley.
Emile Zatopek – The Czech won the 5000m and 10,000m gold medals at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics then won the gold medal in his first ever marathon. Winner of the True Spirit of Sportsmanship Medal by the IOC in 1975, Melbourne honours his name with the annual Zatopek athletics meet. Zatopek famously gave Ron Clarke one of his gold medals in 1966 when Clarke was visiting Prague for a race. Not only did Zatopek host Clarke at his home, he recognised the bad luck Clarke had experienced in his career chasing an elusive Olympic gold.
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Shelley Taylor-Smith – Probably better known in WA, Shelley is one of the greatest endurance athletes of all time. There is an insane 48km swim held each year around Manhattan in the filthy water of the East and Hudson Rivers and she won it five times as well as seven FINA marathon gold medals. Her pain threshold and mental strength are beyond compare. These days she is a motivational speaker, coach and has a Swan River Ferry named after her. Her biography is Dangerous When Wet.
Cathy Freeman – I don’t think the sarcastic Australian colloquialism “no pressure” was ever more apt than when Freeman entered the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Not only did she handle the faulty machinery with aplomb during the lighting of the flame, but she won the 400m gold with everyone in the country watching. A shy and humble champion, her foundation works with remote Indigenous communities to bridge the education gap and keep kids in school.
Peter Norman – At the 1968 Mexico Olympics, Aussie Peter Norman won silver in the 200m wedged between two African American athletes, Tommie Smith and John Carlos. Before the medal ceremony the US athletes told Norman they were going to wear black gloves and give the black power salute in protest to the treatment of black people around the world. Norman agreed to support them by wearing a human rights badge. Both Smith and Carlos were pallbearers at Norman’s funeral in 2006 and that day is recognised as Peter Norman Day by the US Track and Field Federation. His story is fondly remembered in the excellent documentary Salute.
Neale Daniher – After a stellar football career Neale’s greatest achievement has been what he has given back to the community. Diagnosed with MND in 2013, Neale’s crusade in finding a cure for the ‘Beast’ is well publicised and has given Neale extraordinary purpose in his life. Incredibly brave, selfless and funny, Neale’s legacy will go way beyond any of our lives. Neale’s biography, When All is Said and Done, is a ripper.
So I was thinking, they deduct points in tennis for rule violations but they never do for ‘showing off’. Imagine if they did.
It’s a Nadal v Djokovic final and after a brutal five-setter, Djokovic wins the final set 8-6. Then as per usual, Djokovic firstly lies on his back for the photo opportunity from the ceiling of Rod Laver Arena while Nadal is left waiting in limbo at the net.
Then he rips off his shirt “Hulk-style” as is his wont, then strides around the court doing that insincere “you have my heart” gesture to the crowd.
Suddenly, in the midst of all his post-match shenanigans, the umpire calls, “Show-off violation Mr Djokovic. Penalty is six points which means game, set and match, Mr Nadal.”
One can only hope there is a God.
*You can read more of Ian Wilson’s work at WWW.ISOWILSON.COM
