By DPA
Melbourne : Former Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis has become a tabloid target here after a YouTube internet video showed the Greek-Cypriot socialising with a notorious Greek supporters group and chanting anti-Turkish slogans.
Media reports printed stills from a video reportedly shot at a barbecue of the local Hellas Fan Club with Baghdatis holding a red flare above his head and chanting anti-Turkish slogans.
Baghdatis later issued a statement saying that the video was shot a year ago. “There has been a lot of coverage of me appearing in a video on YouTube. In that video from 2007, I was supporting the interests of my country Cyprus while protesting against a situation that is not recognised by the United Nations.
“I would like to concentrate on the tournament. I love the Australian Open and want to do well here.”
Baghdatis’ home island of Cyprus has been a flashpoint of ethnic tensions since winning independence from Britain in 1960. Turkey invaded and occupied part of the island in 1974 in the wake of an attempted coup by Greek Cypriots.
World No. 16 Baghdatis beat 2005 champion Marat Safin to reach the third round Friday. Melbourne’s Herald-Sun newspaper later splashed revelations that a cousin of the popular player had been banned for trouble with police earlier this week at the tournament.
Australian Open boss Craig Tiley confirmed that the VIP accreditation had been withdrawn from Baghdatis’ cousin Filos after the man allegedly poured beer on a police officer Tuesday. But Baghdatis made sure that his relative was in the stands for his Thursday clash with Safin, giving him one of the tickets at his own disposal.
The tournament has been on edge since Tuesday when police charged into a crowd of rowdy Greeks during a match, using pepper spray in the crowd and sparking a firestorm of controversy.
That followed last year’s mini-riot at Melbourne Park between rival Serbs and Croatians at what was once dubbed “the friendly Slam”.
Baghdatis, who lost the 2006 final to top ranked Roger Federer while capturing the hearts of Melbourne’s huge Greek community, will have a crowd of countrymen on hand when he plays Australian Lleyton Hewitt Saturday.