Roger Federer has turned down an invite to play in an exhibition match held in Saudi Arabia this coming December where even Rafael Nadal, as well as Novak Djokovic, has committed to play in.
Currently, the desert country is under pressure from the international community after Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi writer following his comeback to the consulate of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul on October 2. Khashoggi was a Washington Post columnist whose writing on the crown prince of Saudi Arabia was critically acclaimed.
Tennis players Nadal and Djokovic have also expressed doubt on whether they will be playing the exhibition match held at the King Abdullah Sports City on December 22. However, they haven’t yet withdrawn their names till now. Both the tennis stars said that the invites were extended to them at least a year ago.
Federer, the Swiss star, was then questioned in Paris on Tuesday why he decided of turning down the offer to which he said that it was a sudden decision of not wanting to play in Jeddah during that time. On the other hand, Amnesty International has also urged Djokovic and Nadal not to play then. Both Nadal and Djokovic, when asked about their current position, said that the decision to play was taken over a year ago and that their team is analyzing things to take the final call.
Moreover, the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that a proper investigation needs to be finished off smoothly. He also wants an extradition request for the eighteen suspects who are detained in Saudi Arabia to be put on trial in Istanbul. Turkey is also requesting Saudi Arabia for its help in locating Khashoggi’s body that remains to be found. Turkey has alleged that a hit squad travelled from Saudi Arabia to Istanbul to kill Khashoggi and later on tried to cover the situation.
