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Tennis: Belarussian Player and Hate Speech

By Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw

The world number two Belarussian player and 2023 Australian Open Women’s Singles Champion, Aryna Sabalenka, has faced “hate” in the locker room in relation to her country’s role in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Belarus is an ally of Russia and allowed its territory to be used by Russian troops to launch the invasion over a year ago.

In fact, players from both countries have been allowed by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) to play as ‘neutral athletes’ in tennis tournaments, although they were banned from participating in the Wimbledon Championships last year.

Sabalenka remarked as follows:

It was really tough to understand that there’s so many people who hate me for no reason.”

And she added:

I did nothing.”

The Ukraine player, Lesia Tsurenko, withdrew from a match against Sabalenka last week at the Indian Wells Tournament.

However, Steve Simon, the chief executive of the WTA, has stated that his organisation is doing as much as it possibly can to support players from Ukraine.

In fact, the WTA issued a formal warning to the Russian player, Anastasia Potapova, for wearing a Spartak Moscow football shirt before her match against the American player, Jessica Pegula, at Indian Wells.

However, it is essential that, to the extent possible, the war between Russia and Ukraine is not played out on the sports field as well, in order to ensure a neutral stance so that sport is above politics!

Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw may be contacted by e-mail at ‘This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.



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