Harsh sanctions from the world of tennis to Russia and Belarus: Medvedev will debut his status as No. 1 in the world without representing his country

The ATP and the WTA They confirmed this Tuesday that Russian and Belarusian tennis players will be able to continue competing in their tournaments, including the Grand Slams, but on one condition: they will have to do it without the possibility of representing the flag of their countries. The statement came after the International Tennis Federation (ITF) expel both countries from international team competitions that include the Davis Cup and the Billie Jean King Cupof which the Russian teams are current champions.

In addition, the suspension of the ATP 250 from Moscow which was to be played in September in the capital. “A deep feeling of stress, sadness and surprise has invaded the world of tennis to see the invasion in Ukraine. Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine and we support all tennis players who have spoken out against this unacceptable aggression,” the ATP and WTA said in a joint statement.

And they added about it: “For the time being, Russian and Belarusian tennis players will be able to continue to compete in tournaments and Grand Slams, but they will not be able to do so under the Russian or Belarusian flag or the name of Russia or Belarus.” In recent days, Ukrainian tennis players had criticized the organizations for not yet speaking out on Russia’s hostilities.

One of the most visible cases was that of the tennis player Elina Svitolina, who announced that he would not play against a colleague from Russia in Monterrey. Finally, she will play the match dressed in the colors of her national flag and with her opponent without a country to represent. It is worth remembering that the nation presided over by Vladimir Putin is the current champion of both the Davis Cup, which he won in Madrid, and the Billie Jean King Cup, which they won in Prague.

The announcement comes after the ITF also announced the suspension of all tournaments taking place on Russian soil. “The ITF condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the help it has received from Belarus. In addition to canceling all ITF events in those countries, the ITF leadership has confirmed the immediate suspension of the Russian federation and the Belarusian federation from their license as an ITF member. and their participation in any international event,” he explained in a statement. “The ITF stays in contact with the Ukrainian federation and shows its solidarity with all the people of Ukraine,” she concluded.

With information from EFE.

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