 "French Open 2024: Here’s why alcohol has been banned at Roland Garros")
The ongoing 2024 French Open has recently banned alcohol from stadiums in a bid to do away with “rowdy” behaviour from fans towards players. Several players have expressed anger and frustration over spectators’ unruly behaviour towards them, with Belgium’s David Goffin becoming one of the first players to bring to notice the same.
What brought on the alcohol ban at French Open?
David Goffin had claimed that one fan even spat a chewing gum on him during his first-round win over France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard at Roland Garros. The 33 year-old had termed it as a “total disrespect”. “Clearly, it goes too far, it’s total disrespect. It’s becoming like football. Soon there will be smoke bombs, hooligans and there will be fights in the stands,” Goffin had said.
“I think it only happens in France. At Wimbledon, obviously, there’s not that. Or in Australia either. At the US Open, it’s still rather quiet. Here, it’s a really unhealthy atmosphere,” he had added. So far, French Open is the only Grand Slam where alcohol has been prohibited.
Women’s World No 1 Iga Swiatek, had expressed displeasure following her second round win over Naomi Osaka on Wednesday, criticizing Court Philippe-Chatrier spectators for shouting during points. Novak Djokovic had also raised similar concerns.
So, what are the French Open organisers doing to reduce these incidents? We take a look:
“Alcohol has been allowed in the stadiums until now, but that’s over,” French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo had told reporters recently, signalling the ban of alcohol from the stands.
Fans who behave in an unruly will face strict action, and the umpires officiating matches will be even more stricter. According to Mauresmo, the umpires will make sure that fans are disciplined and the players respected, and added that the security would also remain strict should the fans go overboard. “Let’s see how it goes with the (umpires) being a little bit more strict. Let’s see how it goes with the security being also a little bit more strict,” added Mauresmo.
It’s not just the shouting. Mauresmo has also said that fans would be thrown out of the courts of they are found throwing objects at players.
Despite the enforced ban of alcohol at the stands, alcohol including beer sold by mobile vendors, will continue to be sold around the ground.
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