Ukrainian tennis participant and Olympic bronze medalist Elina Svitolina referred to as for a whole ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes from the 2024 Paris Games in an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Svitolina, who received a bronze medal in singles on the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, is visiting Ukraine for the primary time since Russia invaded the nation final 12 months. He is the newest to name for a whole ban on athletes from Russia and Belarus due to the battle.
“It’s going to be very sad, and if the Olympics is going to stick with the decision to put them (Russia and Belarus) under a neutral flag, it will send the wrong message to the world,” Svitolina stated within the interview.
“I don’t think it’s the right decision.” Svitolina, who gave start to a baby with husband Gael Monfils in October, stated sport and politics are inseparable in Russia.
“You can see that in Russia, sports are linked to the government,” Svitolina stated.
On Friday, Ukraine’s sports activities minister threatened to boycott the Paris Olympics if Russia and Belarus had been allowed to compete and stated Kyiv would foyer different international locations to hitch.
A Ukrainian Olympic Committee assembly didn’t decide to a boycott however accredited a plan to attempt to persuade worldwide sports activities officers over the following two months – together with dialogue of a doable boycott. The leaders of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania additionally urged the International Olympic Committee to ban Russia and stated a boycott was a risk.
Speakers at a gathering of the Ukrainian Olympic Committee raised issues about Russia utilizing the Paris Games for propaganda and famous shut ties between some athletes and the Russian army.
“Boycott would be one of the options because frankly what the Russian military is doing to the people of Ukraine is a terrible thing for us,” Svitolina stated.
“I can’t imagine going into the Olympics like nothing is happening to Ukraine.” Svitolina stated the choice to boycott needs to be mentioned with the nation’s Olympic Committee, taking enter from each Ukrainian athlete concerned. However, he did not hesitate to say what he felt was the precise factor to do.
“Our men and women are on the front lines right now, fighting Russian soldiers and also dying for our country and our freedom,” Svitolina stated.
“And I stand by my decision that boycotting is the right way to go about it.” After a month-long break, Svitolina stated she is actively getting ready to return to tennis in April. His first journey to Ukraine marks his longest separation from his daughter.
“Of course, I want to be with him, but I have a bigger mission to free Ukrainian people,” stated Svitolina, who got here to the nation as an envoy for United 24, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s charity to gather donations. platform for
During her temporary keep, she additionally met Zelensky.
Svitolina visited considered one of Kyiv’s maternity facilities on Tuesday and donated a generator, which was wanted to assist the hospital function. The nation’s hospitals have usually been disrupted by large Russian missile assaults on Ukraine’s power infrastructure.
She stated this week’s go to evoked emotions she felt within the first days of the invasion.
“It was extremely stressful for me. I was still playing on tour, competing in some tournaments. I couldn’t concentrate. I couldn’t live my life normally. It was a terrible time for me, “He remembered.
“Visiting the motherhood center really reminded me of what I was going through and how strong these women are.” Originally from Odessa, which now suffers from frequent energy outages because of broken electrical energy infrastructure, Svitolina stated February 24 – the date that will have been one 12 months because the invasion started – will at all times be a tragic day for each Ukrainian. .
“It’s something you would never want your enemy to face,” Svitolina stated. “It’s a very sad day.”
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
