That the English are unable to handle being spectators at sporting contests is becoming increasingly clear. While the English football fan has acquired a reputation across Europe and around the world for boorishness that is sought to be explained away by the effects of overindulgence, the malaise is now spreading to other sports. Days after the shocking conduct of members of the Marylebone Cricket Board come reports of the booing that a Belarusian tennis player was subjected to at a venue the English have long touted as the epitome of sportsmanship ~ Wimbledon. After Victoria Azarenka had played an important ~ but losing ~ part in a match dubbed the “battle of the mums”, and one that offered several thrills to spectators, she was booed off the court for respecting her Ukrainian opponent’s decision to not shake hands with her at the end.

The Belarusian shrugged off the crowd’s obnoxious behaviour as the consequence of a “lot of Pimm’s”, but it was clear the English fan lacks both the finesse to appreciate good tennis as well as the ability to hold a drink. In the first place, the decision by Ukrainian players to shun the customary niceties in sporting contests is difficult to fathom. While the country is at war with Russia, and by extension with Belarus, a Russian ally, the decision of international sporting bodies to allow such sportspersons who are not directly involved in hostilities, or have openly supported them, to participate ought to settle the matter. For if sportspersons from Russia and Belarus are allowed to join contests, they must be extended the courtesies due to them. Shaking hands with opponents, or with the umpire, is a matter of individual choice, but booing a player off the court is unacceptable. It is often forgotten that hooliganism at sporting events is an old English tradition, dating back to the Middle Ages, when groups of youths battled each other at football matches between villages. Two British sovereigns in the 14th century banned football because of the civic unrest it caused.

The MCC founded in the 18th century and the All England Club founded in the 19th came up in times when football was dominated by hooligans known as roughs. That both cricket at St. John’s Wood and tennis at Wimbledon Park managed to remain insulated from the havoc caused by Englishmen at football grounds for as long as they did is in retrospect surprising. Now, it seems, the gloves are off. The English fan clearly believes there is not much wrong with tripping up players in the Long Room at Lord’s or booing them off the court at Wimbledon. The acceptance that such behaviour ~ and not sportsmanship ~ is the defining tradition dear to the English ought now to dawn on all of us. With hindsight, a certain resident of Bengaluru named Gundappa Vishwanath might well wonder if he did the right thing in a Test match 43 years ago.