Ukraine Tennis Federation (UTF) chief government Evgeniy Zukin sees no difficulty with Ukrainian gamers refusing to shake fingers with Russian or Belarusian opponents.
The Wimbledon crowd booed Victoria Azarenka when she didn’t shake Elina Svitolina’s hand on Centre Court earlier this month.
It left Belarusian Azarenka bemused, as she was respecting the desires of Ukraine’s Svitolina.
While Zukin was upset to see that response from the group, he additionally harassed there are extra essential issues at play than gamers not shaking fingers after a match.
Zukin instructed Stats Perform: “It’s really hard to explain to everyone in a 10,000-seater court what’s going on, what kind of conflict is happening and how everything is connected.
“I used to be at that match and I did not like how the group reacted nevertheless it clearly reveals they do not perceive. But in the event that they wish to know, they’d know.
“Any kind of statement from the tournament or the WTA, you cannot be sure everybody understands or everybody gets the message – it’s just a strange situation.
“We have been residing in a wierd time of COVID nevertheless it’s nothing in comparison with this. I do not see it as a giant drawback that not everybody understands what is going on on.
“Whatever the player’s position – you cannot make exceptions in this case, because we’re in a war with Russia and Belarus.
“We did not begin it and easily it is not going to be comprehended by the Ukrainian society if our gamers shook fingers with their opponents.
“Some spectators may not like it but this is how things are. We have so many worse things going on than this no-handshake thing. We are spending too much time on things that don’t matter too much.”
Zukin and the UTF don’t consider Russian or Belarusian athletes ought to be allowed to compete amid the continued conflict in Ukraine.
Indeed, heading in direction of the Paris Olympics subsequent gear, Zukin believes Ukraine will boycott the competitors ought to Belarusian and Russians be allowed to function, even beneath a impartial banner.
“We don’t think it’s fair that during the war, Russians or Belarusians are accepted in any way or any kind to the Olympics,” he stated.
“We know they are funded by their state, they are not neutral. Any success by a Russian or Belarusian athlete will be used by Russian propaganda to show their superiority and we’re absolutely against them taking part until the war is over.
“Maybe if the conflict is over earlier than the Olympics, this place adjustments. But when individuals are dying every single day, it is not regular. When you assault one of many nations in Europe and also you’re taking part in sports activities, it is regular?
“We have the same position on this: they shouldn’t play while the war goes on. It’s going to be the IOC’s [International Olympic Committee] decision whether to allow them to compete then the Ukrainian National Olympic Committee will have its decision about participating or not at the Paris Olympics.”
Asked if he can be upset for Ukrainian tennis gamers ought to the nation select to boycott the Games, Zukin added: “It’s going to be taken out of our hands and their hands as it’s the Olympic Committee who endorses all of the applications.
“In case it decides to not ship a group, then it is inconceivable to ship simply tennis gamers. We utterly respect this. Russia and Belarus are banned from all tennis group occasions, their membership from the ITF is suspended.
“The Olympics is a team competition so it would not be normal to let them compete there. Of course it’s the NOC’s decision but the chances are really low that Ukraine would participate if Russia and Belarus participate.”
Source: www.anews.com.tr
