Tsikhanouskaya ally condemns Belarusian athlete for insulting Ukrainian opponent, complacency in Russia's war
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Pavel Latushka, deputy head of the cabinet of exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, on Nov. 14, condemned Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka for insulting her Ukrainian opponent and not condemning Russia's war.
"Absolutely unacceptable behaviour by Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka! Aryna has failed to condemn the aggressive war against Ukraine, the mass repression of Belarusians, has not spoken out in support of the release of political prisoners, not even women, and now she is insulting (Ukrainian Elina Svitolina), against whom a war of annihilation is being waged," he wrote.
Sabalenka and Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina faced each other at the women's pro tennis WTA finals in California on Nov. 13, resulting in Svitolina securing a victory against her Belarusian opponent.
Reports circulated on social media alleging that Sabalenka muttered insults against Ukrainians or against Ukraine's Svitolina.
Latushka reposted the footage of Sabalenka alongside his written post on the social media platform X.
"She should be banned from all WTA-sanctioned tournaments... This is the only proportionate response to such behaviour. She is a disgrace to the Belarusian people," Latushka said.
Russia and Belarus have faced bans in various international sports bodies for Russia's war against Ukraine.
Despite the Kremlin's ties with many Russian athletes, Moscow and its sports bodies argue for the return of its athletes to international sports.
In a ruling announced on Oct. 30, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled the International Ice Hockey Federation's exclusion of Russian athletes from its tournaments unlawful, paving the way for Russia's return to the sport.
Belarusian athletes have faced similar bans for Minsk's role in Russia's war.
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko allowed Russia to use the country as a launchpad at the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Russian troops advancing toward Kyiv from Belarus in the early days of the war.
