Swiatek says Ukraine war has caused ‘chaos’ in sport

The Pole also hit out at the ruling bodies of tennis, the ATP and WTA, saying they had failed to provide leadership on the issue of Ukrainian players facing Russians on the court.

Published : May 30, 2023 21:04 IST , Paris - 2 MINS READ

FILE PHOTO: Poland’s Iga Swiatek during the 2022 French Open.
FILE PHOTO: Poland’s Iga Swiatek during the 2022 French Open. | Photo Credit: AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias
infoIcon

FILE PHOTO: Poland’s Iga Swiatek during the 2022 French Open. | Photo Credit: AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias

Reigning French Open champion Iga Swiatek says the Ukraine war has caused “chaos” in the world of sport.

In an interview with French daily Le Monde on Tuesday, the Pole also hit out at the ruling bodies of tennis, the ATP and WTA, saying they had failed to provide leadership on the issue of Ukrainian players facing Russians on the court.

“There are indeed tensions among the players, sometimes the atmosphere in the locker room is quite heavy,” the 21-year-old said.

“At the beginning of the conflict, there was a lack of leadership on the part of the tennis authorities. We were not brought together to explain how we were supposed to manage this complex situation and how to behave.

“Those who are in the worst position are the Ukrainian players, and it would be good if we paid more attention to what they feel and what they endure.”

Her fears were illustrated on Sunday when Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk was booed at the French Open for refusing to shake hands with Belarusian opponent Aryna Sabalenka.

Kostyuk said the Paris crowd should “feel embarrassed” by their actions.

Swiatek, whose country neighbours Ukraine, was asked if she would support the participation of athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus at the Paris Olympics next year.

“It is not for us as athletes to make such a decision,” she said. “There is currently a kind of chaos in sport and the most important thing is not to make it worse, to share values that are the right ones and to be clear that we cannot tolerate the ongoing war.”

Russia and Belarus were banned from international competition following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

In March this year, the International Olympic Committee recommended that Russian and Belarusian athletes return to international competition without commenting on their possible presence at the Paris Games.

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment