It is important for any athlete to participate in the best tournaments in the world. Russians should therefore not be ashamed of competing under a neutral flag, said Andrey Chesnokov, winner of seven Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) tournaments. TV game.
Russian and Belarusian tennis players participate in ATP and Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) tournaments in a neutral status, without flags or anthems.
– At one point we discussed the idea of a boycott by Russians and Belarusians of international tournaments. To me, that’s complete bullshit. I saw how the Americans boycotted the Olympic Games in Moscow, then how the USSR boycotted the Games in Los Angeles. Later, they did the Goodwill Games, but who knows at least one winner of these competitions? I won there, but who cares? You can win several Grands Prix 100 times, but winning the Olympics immortalizes the athlete.
The most important thing is to perform, even under a neutral flag and without national symbols. The whole world knows our athletes, their names are well known. Since we are already flying under a neutral flag, why should we be ashamed of it? Chesnokov told .
In February 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended that sports federations prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing due to the situation in Ukraine. At the end of January, the IOC announced that it would consider the possibility of allowing Russians and Belarusians who did not actively support the SVO to participate in international competitions in a neutral status.
Source : MatchTV
I’m Rose Brown , a journalist and writer with over 10 years of experience in the news industry. I specialize in covering tennis-related news for Athletistic, a leading sports media website. My writing is highly regarded for its quick turnaround and accuracy, as well as my ability to tell compelling stories about the sport.
