“Unfortunately some people in all Countries including my Country, haven’t realized the true meaning of freedom.”
(Photo: AFP)
Support has poured in for tennis star Serena Williams from all quarters after the French Tennis Federation’s president said earlier this week that the full-length ‘Black Panther’ catsuit that she wore at this year’s French Open would no longer be allowed. However, on Monday, she received support over the controversy from the unlikeliest of sources — the former Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Williams has said she wore the outfit for health reasons, as the compression garment was designed to help guard against blood clots -clotting, a condition that previously put the tennis star in a life-threatening condition post child birth.
Coming out in support of her, Ahmadinejad tweeted on Monday: “Why is the #FrenchOpen disrespecting @serenawilliams? Unfortunately some people in all Countries including my Country, haven’t realized the true meaning of freedom.”
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Why is the #FrenchOpen disrespecting @serenawilliams ? Unfortunately some people in all Countries including my Country, haven’t realized the true meaning of freedom.
— Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (@Ahmadinejad1956) August 27, 2018
The Twitterati, however, quickly pointed to the irony of Ahmadinejad commenting on freedom of attire, saying he has presided over a country that enforces an Islamic dress code and requires women to wear a headscarf in public.
Meanwhile, Serena Williams appeared to shrug off the French Tennis Federation president’s decision. “Everything’s fine, guys,” she said at a press conference, joking: “When it comes to fashion, you don’t want to be a repeat offender.”
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