Ukrainian Tennis Star Elina Svitolina Boycotts Match Against Russian Opponent
Ukrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina announced Tuesday that she does not intend to play against Russian or Belarussian players and demanded that tennis authorities respond to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
The 15th-ranked Svitolina was scheduled to play against Russia’s Anastasia Potapova at the Monterrey Open in Mexico, but the Russian backed out of the tournament.
In a statement posted on Instagram, Svitolina wrote, “we — Ukrainian players — requested to ATP, WTA and ITF to follow the recommendations of the IOC to accept Russian or Belarussian nationals only as neutral athletes, without displaying any national symbols, colors, flags or anthems.
“Accordingly, I want to announce that I will not play [Tuesday] in Monterrey, nor any other match against Russian or Belarussian tennis players until our organizations take this necessary decision,” she added.
However, the Ukrainian player also took pains to note that the invasion cannot be blamed on Russian athletes, and she thanked those few who have spoken out against Putin’s military gamble.
Svitolina also said she is afraid for her family living back home in Ukraine as the Russian invasion forces wreak havoc across the country.
As for Potapova, the Russian player bemoaned that professional athletes are “hostages” to world politics and insisted she is an advocate of peace.
“As a rule, even when I was a kid, I dreamed of playing tennis without choosing a match, a country, or a partner in the game… for me there is no opponent from any country, I am fighting for victory, my best game, my best result… Unfortunately, now we, professional athletes, are essentially becoming hostages to the current situation,” Potapova wrote.
“I’m sorry, but even though I am a stranger to politics, I am against grief, tears, and war. The peace unites the world, and everyone should remain human in it,” she concluded.
While the governing bodies of tennis have yet to respond to the situation in Ukraine, other sports organizations have. This week, soccer’s governing body, FIFA, barred Russia and Belarus from playing at the World Cup, as did international ice skating. And also, this week, the International Olympics committee advised that all international sports organizations should bar Russian teams from competition until further notice.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Now loading...