Tennis giant Federer turns down Saudi invitation amid Khashoggi murder mystery
Roger Federer refuses to live up to the terms of a contract to play an exhibition match in Saudi Arabia, as the kingdom is swamped with controversy over the murder of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The deal was signed last year for the Swiss tennis great to be part of a showpiece also involving Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
“They contacted me, too,” Federer said in Paris on Tuesday, adding, “I prefer not to play. I’m happy practicing. I’m happy doing other things, and I didn’t want to play there at that time,” the ESPN sports channel reported on its website.
He revealed that it had not taken him long to go against the contract though his participation would have earned him a seven-digit reward.
“So, for me, it was a very quick decision,” Federer noted.
Both Nadal and Djokovic have also said they would reconsider partaking in the event, which has been scheduled to undergo in King Abdullah Sports City in the Saudi port city of Jeddah on December 22.
The international community, meanwhile, continues to demand answers from Riyadh over the murder of the outspoken critic of Saudi policies, Jamal Khashoggi.
Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, but never exited the building.
According to Turkey, he was murdered there by a 15-member Saudi team, who had reached Istanbul earlier in the day, and left soon afterwards.
Under pressure, Riyadh admitted later that Khashoggi had been assassinated in the diplomatic mission, but blamed the incident on a “rogue” operation.
An investigation is still underway to determine the details of the crime.
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