Tennis leaders dropped the ball in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Iga Swiatek says.
In a brand new interview with BBC, Swiatek slammed a “lack of management” amongst WTA and ATP executives in responding after Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine.
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“I really feel like tennis, from the start, might do a bit higher in displaying all people that tennis gamers are in opposition to the struggle,” Swiatek advised BBC. “I really feel they may do extra to make that time and inform their views, and assist us cope a bit higher within the locker room as a result of the ambiance there may be fairly tense.”
Swiatek mentioned in publish World Battle II, Germans, Italians and Japanese athletes weren’t allowed to play internationally, and since nations use sporting success as propaganda, tennis ought to have banned Russians and Belarusians to stop them from utilizing that platform to glorify an invading nation.
Swiatek’s feedback come after Wimbledon introduced it would raise its ban on Russian and Belarusian gamers.
“I heard that after World Battle Two, German gamers weren’t allowed in addition to Japanese and Italian, and I really feel like this type of factor would present the Russian authorities that perhaps it isn’t price it,” the 21-year-old Swiatek the BBC. “I do know it is a small factor as a result of we’re simply athletes, a bit piece on this planet however I really feel like sport is fairly vital and sport has at all times been utilized in propaganda.
“That is one thing that was thought-about initially, tennis did not actually go that approach, however now it might be fairly unfair for Russian and Belarusian gamers to do this as a result of this choice was alleged to be made a yr in the past.”
Photograph credit score: Adam Fairly/Getty
