Updated
Respectively 54th and 127th in the WTA rankings, Marta Kostyuk and Lesia Tsurenko deplored the lack of reaction of the women’s circuit to the invasion of their country by Russia.
Like her compatriot Lesia Tsurenko, Marta Kostyuk posted a protest text on social networks.
imago images/ZUMA Wire
Ukrainian players Marta Kostyuk and Lesia Tsurenko deplored the lack of reaction of the WTA women’s circuit to the Russian invasion of their country and demanded among several measures the cancellation of the tournaments planned in Russia.
Tsurenko, 127th in the world rankings at 32, tweeted protest text in white letters on a black background.
The 19-year-old and ranked No. 54 in the WTA, Kostyuk posted an almost similar message in content on her Instagram account.
“We Ukrainian players would like to express our great surprise and disappointment at the lack of reaction to the situation in our homeland,” they wrote. “It is particularly odd that in past cases of social injustice and sexual harassment, the WTA’s response has been swift, appropriate and bold,” they say.
This is a reference in particular to the case of the Chinese Peng Shuai, who disappeared last November after accusations against a former high dignitary of her country and whose fate had quickly mobilized the organizers of the women’s circuit.
“Our country, Ukraine, is under attack from a stronger nuclear power,” continue the two young women. “We demand that the WTA condemn the Russian government now, cancel all tournaments held in Russia and approach the ITF (editor’s note: the secondary circuit for men and women) so that it does the same”, explains the text, published before the expulsion of Russia from the dams for the World Cup by FIFA.
“We demand that the WTA condemn the Russian government now, cancel all tournaments held in Russia and approach the ITF to do the same”
“While saying this, we support our colleagues from Russia and any Russian-speaking players as we understand that this unprovoked attack took place without their knowledge or involvement,” they said.
“Be HUMAN”, concludes the text made public by Kostyuk and Tsurenko.
Elina Svitolina, who was due to face Russian Anastasia Potapova on Tuesday in the first round of the Monterrey tournament, announced that she would no longer play against Russian or Belarusian opponents as long as the WTA, ATP and ITF, the bodies that manage world tennis, will not have followed the IOC’s recommendations “to accept Russian or Belarusian nationals only as neutral athletes, not displaying symbols, colors, flags or anthems of their nation” .
“As a result of which, I would like to announce that I will not be playing tomorrow (editor’s note: tuesday) in Monterrey, nor will I participate in any matches against Russian or Belarusian tennis players until our organizations have made this necessary decision,” the 15th player in the world wrote on Twitter on Monday.
(AFP)