Ukrainian women’s tennis player Elina Svitolina expressed deep distress on Tuesday, following the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) decision to lift its recommendation to restrict Belarusian athletes from international competitions. The ban had been in place since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. The photo was taken in Rome, Italy, on May 10.
“It’s very painful,” Svitolina told reporters. She has continued to refuse handshakes with players from Russia and its ally Belarus after matches. “Rockets are still flying over Ukraine. Those two countries are still considered aggressor nations,” she added.
“The fact that this is even being considered and discussed is deeply saddening and painful for us. It is a very serious issue, and I have a lot to say, but now is not the best time. I absolutely do not support this discussion,” Svitolina continued.
Russian and Belarusian tennis players are currently allowed to compete on tour as neutral athletes without national flags or anthems, though they remain banned from team events. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) stated on May 8 that the IOC’s announcement does not change its own position regarding the suspension of Belarus and Russia. However, the voting members of the ITF will review Belarus’s eligibility at the annual general meeting in October.
Belarusian world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka commented last week, “I hope the governing bodies will return our flag.”