What Svitolina, Kostyuk and Tsurenko propose to the WTA to remove players from the Russian Federation

Ukrainian tennis players Elina Svitolina, Martha Kostyuk And Lesya Tsurenko He addressed WTA in a letter after an online meeting with tour management.

In this letter, questions were raised regarding the policy of the WTA in the fight against Russian aggression against Ukraine, and its own recommendations (this is exactly what was discussed at the meeting, but no response was received from the leadership of the Women’s Tour).

Items mentioned in the letter of the Ukrainian tennis players:

1. WTA will hold a press release regarding Steve Simon’s comments. You must provide a clear and undeniable definition or his words – “Players from Russia and Belarus have the right to support the war. This is their opinion and they should not be punished for it” is WTA policy or Steve Simon’s own view, which is not in line with the organization’s policy.
2. We need a clear and understandable public position of each player from Russia and Belarus on the occupation of Ukraine by the armies of Russia and Belarus and the genocide of the Ukrainian people by Russia and Belarus.
3. Every player from Russia and Belarus who supports the occupation of our country or shares the views of his country’s leadership regarding Ukraine should be removed from all tournaments in which Ukrainians participate.
4. Condemning the occupation of Ukraine, the actions of the Russian and Belarusian armies on the territory of Ukraine, the policy of the state leadership towards Ukraine, every player from Russia and Belarus can continue to compete in all tournaments without exception.
5. Each player from Russia and Belarus, who for some reason cannot openly express his attitude to the events in Ukraine or the policy of his country’s leadership, receives a protected degree and returns to the tour only after the end of the war.
6. your option
7. The WTA must openly and openly admit that all statements by Steve Simon, Victoria Azarenka, Arina Sobolenko, Daria Kasatkina, Veronika Kudermetova and other representatives of Russia and Belarus regarding support for Ukrainian players are manipulations and do not correspond to reality. And the aid given to some Ukrainian players has nothing to do with the war in Ukraine.

The letter reads, “We ask that you review this letter and continue our dialogue by sending us feedback no later than five days after you receive it.”