Australia’s top ranked male tennis player Nick Kyrgios has called out former Olympic swimmer Dawn Fraser today, accusing her of being a “blatant racist” in her comments about him and his Davis Cup teammate Bernard Tomic.
Taking to Facebook today, Kyrgios labelled Fraser a “blatant racist” for commenting, on national television, that he and Tomic should “go back to where their fathers or parents came from”.
“Throwing a racket, brat. Debating the rules, disrespectful. Frustrated when competing, spoilt. Showing emotion, arrogant,” Kyrgios wrote beneath a screen shot of Fraser’s TV appearance. “Blatant racist, Australian legend.”
Fraser appeared on Channel Seven’s “The Today Show” this morning and was asked about her opinion on Kyrgios’ behaviour at Wimbledon where he has been arguing with umpires and has been accused of giving up din his fourth round loss against Richard Gasquet.
“I think it is absolutely disgusting,” Fraser said on “The Today Show”. “I am so shocked to think that he went out there to play and he tanked.”
“Should be setting an example for the younger generation of this great country of ours.” she said, before adding, “If they don’t like it, go back to where their fathers or parents came from. “We don’t need them in this country if they act like that.”
Kyrgios’ mother Nill has also responded, saying that Dawn Fraser’s comments were “out of line”.
According to Fairfax, Fraser has defended her comments, saying she’s not a racist.
“I don’t think I created a storm, I think the storm was created before me,” Fraser said. “I’m not a racist person, if you take it that way then I’m sorry that you take it that way, but I’m not racist at all.
“I said, ‘If they don’t want to be Australians then maybe they should go back to the country where their parents come from’. That’s not being racist,” she added.
“I can see it being interpreted that way … but it wasn’t intended that way. I said they were not good Australians by behaving the way they are on court. Do you think they are?
“He’s just bad mannered; he’s just a bad sport.”
Throwing a racket, brat. Debating the rules, disrespectful. Frustrated when competing, spoilt. Showing emotion,...
Posted by Nick Kyrgios on Monday, 6 July 2015
I have no comments on Dawn Frasers nasty racist attack...but she is out of line. #unaustralianbehaviour
— nill kyrgios (@nillkyrgios) July 7, 2015
