Russian and Belarusian flags have been banned from the Melbourne Park precinct in the course of the Australian Open after a criticism from the Ukraine ambassador to the nation.
Vasyl Myroshnychenko, Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, posted an image displaying a Russian flag hanging from a bush beside the court docket the place his compatriot Kateryna Baindl was enjoying her first-round match on Monday.
“I strongly condemn the public display of the Russian flag during the game of the Ukrainian tennis player Kateryna Baindl at the Australian Open today,” he wrote on Twitter.
“I call on Tennis Australia to immediately enforce its ‘neutral flag’ policy.”
Tennis Australia responded on Tuesday by banning the flags of the 2 international locations.
“Flags from Russia and Belarus are banned onsite at the Australian Open,” Tennis Australia stated in a press release.
“Our preliminary coverage was that followers might deliver them in however couldn’t use them to trigger disruption. Yesterday we had an incident the place a flag was positioned courtside.
“The ban is effective immediately. We will continue to work with the players and our fans to ensure the best possible environment to enjoy the tennis.”
Belarus is getting used as a key staging floor for Russia’s conflict in Ukraine, which Moscow phrases a “special operation”.
Russian and Belarusian gamers have been banned from Wimbledon final yr however are capable of compete as particular person athletes with out nationwide affiliation on the Australian Open.
Their flags aren’t displayed beside their names in TV broadcasts, as is the case for different gamers, and their nation will not be indicated on draw sheets.
Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka stated she understood how the show of the flags of the 2 international locations would possibly upset Ukrainian gamers.
“I really thought that sport is nothing to do with politics but if everyone feels better this way, then it’s okay,” the fifth seed advised reporters after her first-round win on Tuesday.
“If Tennis Australia made this decision to make them feel better, okay. They did it, what can I do? I can do nothing.”
Ukraine’s quantity two Marta Kostyuk advised Reuters on Monday that she wouldn’t shake fingers with tour rivals from Russia and Belarus who she feels haven’t completed sufficient to talk out towards the invasion.
