In a symbolic and touching move, Wimbledon has taken the unprecedented step of waiving its 148-year-old all-white dress code to pay tribute to the memory of Liverpool and Portugal sensation Diogo Jota, who died in a road accident on Thursday evening.
For the first time in the history of the tournament, starting from 1877, portugal players were allowed to wear black ribbons on the field as a tribute to the late footballer. There were two Protuguese Tennis players Francisco Cabral and Nuno Borges who were given the permission to wear small black ribbons.
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“Yesterday, I came up with the idea of wearing a black strap, but that was not allowed,” Cabral said. “The players’ relations, they had a black ribbon, and I asked for permission.
They let me play with it and I just did it this morning.
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“It was an honor. It’s not for the best reason. But yeah, he was not only an inspiration to me but for the country in general, he meant so much in the sport. He conquered so much in his life. So it was just an honor for me to try and help, if only 1% for the family and everybody.” as mentioned by CNN Sports
Diogo Jota's fatal crash occurred after midnight around 12:30 am on the A-52 highway in Zamora, a province in northwestern Spain. According to Spain’s Guardia Civil, a tire reportedly burst while the vehicle was overtaking, causing it to veer off the road and catch fire. Authorities have not confirmed which of the brothers was behind the wheel, but Spanish outlets have reported that the car involved was a Lamborghini.