Nigel Farage’s recent gesture of solidarity with international tennis star Novak Djokovic was torn apart by the British player Andy Murray.
Farage, a prominent Eurosceptic who was calling for tougher immigration years before Brexit, has sided with Djokovic throughout the row about his visa in Australia.
The men’s tennis No.1 is locked in a court battle with Australia over his visa, which the country is attempting to cancel.
Djokovic is unvaccinated, but maintains that his recent Covid infection makes him exempt from the Australian Open’s vaccine rules.
The row over Djokovic’s vaccination status has, strangely, seen Farage get involved – and Murray was not afraid to point out the irony.
Tweeting in response to a new video of Farage greeting Djokovic’s Serbian family, Murray said: “Please record the awkward moment when you tell that you’ve spent most of your career campaigning for people from Eastern Europe [to be] deported. ;)”
Farage replied: “Dear Andy, you clearly don’t understand politics or the Brexit campaign but are filled with prejudice.
“Concentrate on the tennis and, a word of advice, crack a smile every now and again. :)”
Djokovic was denied entry to the country at Melbourne airport on Wednesday when he touched down to defend his title at the Australian Open.
He was detained in a hotel as officials said the tennis player’s recent Covid infection does not make him eligible for an exemption from entry rules.
Australia has attempted to cancel his visa and deport the tennis player, but a court judge ruled on Monday that he should be released from detention.
Despite spending years campaigning in favour of introducing an Australian-style immigration system to the UK, Farage is one of the most high-profile figures to side with the tennis player and call for his release in the row.
Farage tweeted: “If they could do this to the world’s No.1 tennis player, think what they could do to you.”