Ukrainian tennis player, Olympic medalist Elina Svitolina has called for a complete ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Svitolina, who won a singles bronze medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, is traveling to Ukraine for the first time since the Russian invasion began. She became another voice in favor of a complete ban on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the war.
“If the decision is authorized [РоÑÑию и БеларуÑÑŒ] will remain under a neutral flag at the Olympics, it will be very sad and will send the wrong signal,†Svitolina said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I don’t think it’s the right decision.”
Svitolina, who had a baby in October, said sports and politics are inseparable in Russia.
“You can see that in Russia sport is tied to the government,” she said.
