FTU: “NOC’s decision will be a sanction not against the aggressors, but against the Ukrainians”

The Ukrainian Tennis Federation petitioned the National Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Youth and Sports about the attitude of Ukrainian tennis players to the participation of Russians and Belarusians in matches of various tournaments.

“The Ukrainian Tennis Federation, together with the leading players of the Ukrainian national tennis teams, has submitted an application to the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine about a possible ban on the participation of Ukrainian athletes. in competitions where representatives of the aggressor countries are allowed to participate.

The International Tennis Federation became the first major federation to cease membership of the national federations of Russia and Belarus. Teams from these countries are disqualified in all team competitions without exception, including the Davis Cup and the Billie Jean King Cup, where the Russians are the defending champions of both events.

Individual athletes are accepted only under a neutral white flag. The ATP and WTA professional tennis tours supported this decision and imposed the same restrictions. Unfortunately, despite all the attempts of the Ukrainian Tennis Federation and professional players, tennis governing bodies did not expel individual athletes.”

With this call, we express a common position regarding the possible decision of the NOC on the complete boycott of players of all international tournaments played by Russians or Belarusians. Such a decision will lead to the ruin of Ukrainian tennis, because players from these countries take part in almost every competition. Such a decision would be a sanction not against the aggressors, but against the Ukrainians, who support a pro-Ukrainian position in every corner of the world, each of whom plays at his own level.

We may lose a serious leverage in the information war, we will not be able to cover up all the atrocities that have taken place in our country in the last year. We believe that everyone should be beneficial for themselves. If you deprive tennis players of the opportunity to compete, it means losing one of the sectors of the front.

If the Russians and Belarusians are allowed to compete, you must play with them and win and not run away from the battle. Just like our men at the front in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and all conscious citizens, each in his own place. We are in a position to continue to compete in international competitions to intensify the fight for the removal of players from Russia and Belarus. Beat them on courts around the world.

We must promote our shared ideas and values ​​worldwide and assist the Armed Forces. To help the Ukrainians who suffered from a terrible war as much as anyone can.

Angelina Kalinina, Dayana Yastremska, Katarina Zavatskaya, Nadezhda Kichenok, Oleksandr Ovcharenko, Vladislav Orlov and Ilya Beloborodko signed the statement made by the Ukrainian Tennis Federation.