PRESS RELEASE: AUSTRALIAN OPEN NEEDS TO BAN PLAYERS FROM RUSSIA

Tennis Australia should ban the participation of players from the Russian Federation in this month’s Australian Open, according to the Ambassador of Ukraine to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko.
Ukraine’s Ambassador said that the Australian Open should take the same approach as Wimbledon not permitting Russian Federation players as an act of solidarity with Ukraine and Ukrainians who are daily under attack in their own homes.

“Russia manipulates sport and sportspeople to project an image to the world, just as Nazi Germany did. They engage in massive doping programs to buy sporting success as part of their propaganda. When we allow sportspeople from Russia to participate in the Australian Open, we do exactly what Putin wants,” Ukraine’s Ambassador said.

“It doesn’t matter what flag Russian Federation players compete under. It has Ukrainian blood on it.

“It would be a great shame if Tennis Australia proceeds. It goes against the strong stance that Australia itself – as a government and as a nation that stands up to bullies – has taken in support of Ukraine.

“I request that Tennis Australia reconsider what seems like an unprincipled position and send a strong message to the Kremlin by banning participants from the Russian Federation. I will be seeking a meeting with the Chair and CEO of Tennis Australia to put my Government’s position and to understand why Tennis Australia has not followed the lead of Wimbledon,” Ukraine’s Ambassador said.
Mr Myroshnychenko said, that a minimum, Russian Federation players should call a media conference and make clear what their personal positions on the war on Ukraine and Ukrainians are.

“Every missile strike against Ukraine takes place only because Russian citizens are supporting Putin’s regime. If Russians, such as players, do not specifically condemn the war, they are collaborators in that war, whether they wish to admit it or not. There is no place for neutrality in the face of genocidal war crimes,” Ukraine’s Ambassador said.

“While Tennis Australia gives terrorist Russia a court to perform on, Serhiy Stakhovsky, former world #31 who played his retirement match at last year’s Open, has no choice but to defend Western democracy as a front-line Ukrainian soldier.

“I am also consulting with tennis players here now from Ukraine – such as Anhelina Kalinina, Nadia and Lyuda Kichenok, Marta Kostyuk, Lesya Tsurenko, and Dayanna Yastremska – all of whom have been personally impacted by the war – about the position they wish to take at the Australian Open. They will be making their stance very publicly known in due course to the organisers,” Ukraine’s Ambassador said.

ENDS