Roger Federer apologises to Pakistan over India cricket jersey row
Roger Federer with the Indian cricket team jersey on Feb 14
Dubai: Having caused some sort of a social media storm after posing for a picture with the Indian cricket team's jersey, Roger Federer has come clean on his pet choice for the cricket World Cup. And it's not India or Pakistan, but South Africa, where his mother hails from.
Roger Federer with the Indian cricket team jersey on Feb 14
Speaking to the media on the eve of the Dubai Open on Sunday, Federer said he did not mean to "spark any fire" between arch-rivals India and Pakistan.
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"It was more of a Nike thing to be honest," the world No 2 said about the picture, which he posted ahead of the key India vs Pakistan clash in the World Cup last Sunday.
The tag line read: 'Dressing up for a Gentleman's game today. #BleedBlue'. Following that, Federer's Pakistani fans took to social media channels to express their displeasure.
"It was a Nike campaign they had," Federer added. "Because I met some of the Indian players, and happened to spend some time with them. That's why they presented the shirt to me. But I support South Africa, everybody knows that. So the idea was not to spark any fire there; I am sorry if it did."
Federer also said that he follows cricket, and the Indian cricket team, only sporadically contrary to the cricket fandom usually heaped upon him.
"I follow the team a little bit. Depends on where I am, when I am in America definitely not, when I am in Europe, definitely not. Maybe when I am in Australia, and here (Dubai) sometimes. I got the shirt when I was in India."
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