Romanian tennis legend Ilie Nastase was included by The Guardian in a list of anti-sports personalities of the year.

In April this year, Nastase made a controversial statement about Serena Williams child, which was seen as racist.

Then, in April, he had a negative behaviour at the Fed Cup World Group II Playoffs tie between Romania and Great Britain, organized in the Romanian seaside city of Constanta. Ilie Nastase was the Romanian team’s captain. During the event, he made advances of a sexual nature towards Anne Keothavong, the captain of the Great Britain team, and also made abusive and threatening comments to a member of the accredited press. He also made abusive and threatening comments to the match officials and to members of the Great Britain team, refused to leave the court, and deliberately interfered with the opposing team.

As a result, Nastase, a former Roland Garros and US Open winner and an ATP number one in the 1970s, was suspended from acting in an official capacity in official International Tennis Federation (ITF) team competitions, individual competitions, and official ITF tennis circuits until December 31, 2020, the federation decided in July. He will also be denied access to, and not granted accreditation for the ITF competitions and circuits until December 31, 2018.

However, in September, the Czech Republic decided to appoint Nastase the country’s honorary consul in Romania.

“I trust Mr. Nastase,” the Czech foreign minister Lubomir Zaoralek said at that time. “[In diplomacy] we have to weigh our words, and I think Mr. Nastase is fully aware of that. I am sure that his transfer from sports to diplomacy will be successful because I can see him as [a] person who realizes the responsibility he has in the new function.”

Other anti-sports personalities included on The Guardian’s list are professional darts player Phil Taylor, rugby player Scott Baldwin, and footballer Wayne Shaw. Check the full list here.

Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com