Less than 24 hours remain in the commencement of Wimbledon and the authorities continue to make important announcements. Yesterday’s announcement seems to be a rather important one. After announcing tight security in light of? ‘Just Stop Oil’ protestors, they have made a request for the ball kids too. The Wimbledon authorities are afraid that they might be the next victim after Ashes Test and World Snooker Championship.

The organizers have addressed the players’ safety and now it’s time to ensure the ball kids’ safety. The Wimbledon ball kids have an average age of 15 and there are about 250 of them. So, a huge responsibility does lie in the hands of the Wimbledon committee.

Wimbledon alert the ball kids about the protestors

The Wimbledon committee does not want the ball kids to engage with protestors, in case there are any. A well-placed source said via The Mirror, “It was feared their youthful enthusiasm and pride at being involved in the event could lead them to trying take action”. However, they have been advised by authorities to stay away from any kind of trouble and take any potential risk to stop the protestors.

The rise in the number of protests at sporting events has caused concerns among the organizers. Roland Garros has been a victim of pitch-invading protestors but the courts of SW19 haven’t seen any of those in recent years. Talking of 2023, there was a pitch invasion in the Rotterdam Open which had nothing to do with the environment.

Pitch invasion at Rotterdam Open 2023

During one of the qualifying rounds in Rotterdam, an individual dressed as a panda hopped onto the pitch, ran around the court and then left again after a few seconds. The authorities at the event did nothing, and neither did the ball kids stop the invader.

The fans considered it to be a funny incident instead of worrying about the players’ and ball kids’ safety.

READ MORE: Amid Growing Tensions and Protests, Wimbledon Amps Up Security as Stringent Measures Brought in Place to Address the Safety of Players

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