The husband of 23-time grand slam champion Serena Williams has blasted an Australian newspaper over a controversial cartoon.
Alexis Ohanian has hit out at the editor of The Herald Sun, Damon Johnson, over his decision to publish the ‘racist and misogynistic’ picture. The drawing is based on Williams’ outburst during the US Open final, but some have claimed that it is offensive. The newspaper has dismissed the controversy by reprinting the drawing on their front page a couple days later, along with other pictures created by the cartoonist. Arguing against Political correctness.
Commenting on the issue for the first time on Thursday, Ohanian has questioned Johnson’s membership of the ‘male champions of change.’ An Australian group that consists of numerous industry leaders calling for gender equality. Craig Tiley, who is the current chief of Tennis Australia, is also a member of the coalition.
“I am truly perplexed to learn this editor of the Australian newspaper behind the blatantly racist & misogynistic cartoon of my wife is a “Male Champion of Change” Is this supposed to be satire, too?” Ohanian wrote on his Twitter account.
Johnson has publicly lent his support behind the creator of the cartoon. Arguing that it poked fun at a ‘bad sport.’ Williams received a total of three warnings during the US Open final for coaching, racket abuse and verbal abuse towards the umpire. She was later fined $17,000 for her actions.
“A champion tennis player had a mega tantrum on the world stage, and Mark’s cartoon depicted that,” Johnson told reporters earlier this week. “It had nothing to do with gender or race. This was about a bad sport being mocked.”
The creator of the cartoon, Mark Knight, has insisted that there was no racist intention behind his drawing. He has suspended his Twitter account due to the fallout.
“I drew this cartoon Sunday night after seeing the US Open final, and seeing the world’s best tennis player have a tantrum and thought that was interesting,” Knight said.
“It’s been picked up by social media in the US and my phone has just melted down.
“The world has just gone crazy.”
There has been no comment from Williams herself about the cartoon.
