‘It’s Against My Ethics’: John Daly’s Infamous Streaker, Who Lives To Entertain People, Once Recalled a Perfect Wimbledon Moment

For a professional golfer, hardly any picture can overshadow the picture of winning a Major. Back in 1995, John Daly won the British Open. Following the winning putt, he was pictured with his then-wife celebrating the triumph, only for a streaker to ruin it in the background. However, years later, that same intruder also appeared at a Wimbledon final.

Daly’s picture with his ex-wife, Paulette Dean, and the streaker had gone viral back in the day. Some found it humorous to see the nude man in the background, while others criticized him for running Big John’s beautiful picture with his wife. The streaker then revealed his name to be Mark Robert and happens to perform streaking as a profession.

He made his presence known again during the 2002 Wimbledon final, where Lleyton Hewitt defeated David Nalbandian. In an interview, more than a decade later, Robert reasoned why he streaked at the Centre Court in the British Grand Slam.

Different event, similar John Daly incident

In 2015, Mark Robert was interviewed with The Guardian. There, the British streaker shared his side of the story on why he runs around sporting events naked. “I streak to entertain people”, said Robert. “Streaking is an extension of that. It’s a performance, and I usually plan my streaks as you would a dance routine”.

He then shared the story of 2002 Wimbledon and disclosed what happened behind the curtains. Mark Robert said, “The Wimbledon final, between Lleyton Hewitt and David Nalbandian, worked really well. I was sitting at the back on the top tier, wondering how I was going to get down to the court during the breaks in play”.

Read More: ‘The Greatest Photo Ever Taken’: Golf World Reacts to Iconic John Daly Moment That Was Tainted by an Unwanted Fan in 1995

The streaker then added that he never goes in between plays to disrupt the match, as he revealed “it’s against my ethics”. He then mentioned how the rain disrupted the Grand Slam final. As the match was about to be resumed, Robert saw the opportunity to step foot on the court. Mark Robert said, “I ran down the steps, jumped over the wall, took my clothes off, and ran on to the pitch. The whole thing took about 20 seconds. Everyone cheered, even the royal box”.

After the cops closed in on him, Robert surrendered himself as he revealed that he doesn’t like to struggle after he is caught. “For a big event like Wimbledon, I don’t think about the millions watching me at home. It would make me too nervous. In real life, I’m actually quite modest”, Robert said at the end of the interview.

Intruders are common occurrences during sport events. Whether it’s the Majors or the Grand Slam, stopping streakers is quite a challenge. However, whether it’s entertaining from a fan’s perspective, is still a question of doubt. Do share your thoughts about it in the comments section below.

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