Viewers have attacked British and American tennis icons Sue Barker and John McEnroe for publicly endorsing the imprisoned Boris Becker.
Seven-time Grand Slam champion McEnroe stated during the commentary during the BBC’s coverage of Wimbledon on Monday: “Boris, we adore you.” Man, we miss you.
We do yes, wonderfully said, added Barker, who is hosting the broadcast for the last time in her career.
Becker, 54, was found guilty of four insolvency act offenses and sentenced to two years and six months in prison on April 29 at London’s Southwark Crown Court.
After being declared bankrupt in 2017 to allegedly prevent money from being allocated to creditors, the player, who was born in Germany, was found guilty of concealing loans and assets totaling £2.5 million.
Boris participated in the BBC’s coverage of Wimbledon last year, but he is currently serving a 2.5-year prison term in Huntercombe prison, close to Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.
BBC fans criticized commentator Andrew Castle earlier this month after he said they were “looking forward to welcoming you back” to disgraced tennis player Boris Becker live on television.
Castle, a former tennis player, 58, made the remark on Friday while the Queen’s Clubs Championships were being broadcast live on the BBC.
I really missed Boris for a time, he said. I am aware of his whereabouts in jail and why. We are eager to receive you upon your return, Boris.
Additionally, McEnroe stated last week that when in the UK for the competition, he intended to pay Becker a visit in jail.
“Boris is a friend of mine,” he declared. This is very awful. If I can and he’s willing to see people, I want to see him.
“I just feel awful.” He is among the best players to ever play the game, and I am aware of how much that meant to Boris. He has experienced a lot for a long period.
In his previous trial, Boris was told that he was required by law to reveal all of his assets in order to pay off his nearly £50 million in debts.
Becker was found guilty by the jury of taking property, two counts of failing to disclose an estate, and hiding debt.
However, they exonerated him of an additional 20 accusations, including nine for neglecting to turn over his tennis medals and trophies, including two from Wimbledon.
Following his bankruptcy, the jury determined that he had given £390,000 in payments to nine other people, including his ex-wife Barbara and his estranged wife Sharlely “Lilly” Becker, who is the mother of his fourth child.
Becker, who has been in London since 2012, was also found guilty of concealing an over £700,000 bank loan on a huge £1 million home in his native Leimen, Germany, and failing to disclose his ownership of it.
The fourth charge concerned failing to disclose his ownership of £66,000 worth of shares in the technology company Breaking Data Corp.
On Monday at Wimbledon, Boris Becker’s girlfriend Lillian de Carvalho Monteiro and his oldest son Noah supported Novak Djokovic in their first public outing since the former world number one was imprisoned.
The 40-year-old Carvalho Monteiro made an appearance on Centre Court alongside her partner’s 28-year-old son as Djokovic played against and defeated South Korean Soonwoo Kwon on the opening day of this year’s championship.
The three-degreed political risk analyst, who is multilingual and has five languages under her belt, supported her spouse as he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison in April.
Lilian, who has reportedly been dating Becker for about three years, stood by him and his son Noah during his Southwark Crown Court trial.
Lillian, who was born in the So Tomé and Prncipe, an African island nation, reportedly gave her boyfriend a farewell kiss as he was carried from the courtroom after being sentenced.
Becker’s fiancée has been spotted visiting him at HMP Wandsworth, where he is being imprisoned, ever since his sentencing.