Original article (in Montenegrin) was published on 16/12/2021
Novak Djokovic is, very likely, the most famous person from this region, and because of that, he is an everyday topic in our speaking area.
This tennis player is often pushed into politics, so it is not unusual that political statements that he never made are attributed to him.
Based on the same model, the sharing of Djokovic’s photo featuring his alleged quote began on Facebook:
“NATO, which bombed my country with depleted uranium, has to pay war damages, they polluted our country’s water and air. I call on the organizers of the protest and President Vucic to make a public appearance and say to the people that they are filing a lawsuit against NATO and to tell Rio Tinto to MARCH OUT”.
As someone who survived the NATO bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia while growing up, Novak Djokovic regularly talks about this topic for the media and on his social networks. On March 24, he marked the anniversary of the beginning of the bombing on social networks and paid tribute to the victims, which was reported by the media in Serbia.
The website Nova.rs then reminded of Novak’s earlier statements and memories of the bombing.
“From 1991, 1992 until 2000, we had an embargo. We fought for bread and milk and other essentials for survival. Then, in 1999, Serbia was bombed for two and a half months without stopping, every night and every day. My family and I woke up during the night for two and a half months because of the sirens, and the planes that flew over us. It was devastating and terrifying. The worst thing I’ve ever seen. It was horrible to see planes above your head that are bombing hospitals and everything else. Many innocent people have died, and I am grateful that I have not lost anyone close to me, although I know people who have lost loved ones, and it is a scar that I will wear for the rest of my life. The memories (of the bombing) will stay with me for the rest of my life”, Djokovic revealed to British journalist Jay Shetty two years ago.
“In the beginning, I felt what most of our people felt – I wanted revenge. Who are they to bomb innocent people? What is going on? I was 12 years old and I remember hiding in shelters on my birthday and we said that after a week or two of hiding, we would return to normal life and that was it. That we will not be interested in what will happen because – if they hit us, what can we do? So, I remember spending my 12th birthday with friends playing tennis. We didn’t go to school then, so it was great! They sang me a birthday song, and I clearly remember images of planes dropping bombs everywhere. It was horrifying, but at the same time I felt like I was growing up and my parents helped me a lot in that”, Djokovic said about the birthday celebration during the bombing.
He took journalist Graham Bensinger through the shelter where he was hiding with his family.
However, it is impossible to find Djokovic’s statements on the Internet about “depleted uranium”, “payment of war reparations”, and “pollution of land, water and air”.
Djokovic came into even greater public focus when he recently shared a photo from a protest in Belgrade. One of the reasons for the protests in Serbia is Rio Tinto, i.e., Rio Tinto’s business in Serbia.
Djokovic then shared a photo with the message: “Clean air, water and food are the keys to health. Without that, every word about “health” is superfluous”.
He soon distanced himself from politics, saying that he always tries to be apolitical. Indeed, he did not directly mention Rio Tinto.
Due to these facts, we rate this post as fake news.
The “fake news” rating is given to the original media report (entirely produced by the media that published it) that contains factually incorrect claims or information. Content that is assessed as fake news can be said to have been created and spread to misinform the public, that is, to present a claim that is entirely false as fact.
