ATP: Sergyi Stakhovsky also calls for Russia to be excluded from the Olympics
After Elina Svitolina spoke out in favor of a ban on all Russian and Belarusian athletes participating in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, ex-ATP professional Sergiy Stakhovsky is now reiterating the call.
by Stefan Bergmann
last edit:
Feb 20, 2023, 09:22 pm
Sergiy Stakhovsky only ended his long professional career as a tennis player in January 2022, only to go to war for his home country Ukraine against the aggressor Russia almost a month later. The 37-year-old has been fighting at the front for almost a year and leaves no doubt that this situation could change soon: "We can't afford the luxury of retiring."
In an interview with the broadcaster "Sky News", the man from Kiev is incensed by something that Elina Svitolina also discussed on Instagram a few weeks ago - the possible competition of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. "It spits in the face of every Ukrainian athlete who goes to the Olympics," said Stakhovsky, who is calling for a ban on all Russian athletes.
Setting a hopeful sign in Paris
In a joint declaration, sports ministers from 35 countries called for the ban of all Russian and Belarusian athletes from all competitions, thereby supporting the demands of Stakhovsky and Svitolina. Imagine standing at the 100m starting line with Russian athletes who support the war, whose family members serve in the army and may have even killed Ukrainians," continued the four-time tournament winner.
According to Stakhovsky, more than 300 sports facilities have already been destroyed by Russian rockets and artillery. Nevertheless, Ukraine wants to give a hopeful signal in the French capital next year: "It's important to show that even in times of war, despite all the things we have to go through, we can perform and show that Ukraine is still strong is."