Iga Swiatek wants Russian athletes to be banned from all sports as she condemns WTA’s poor leadership

Iga Swiatek believes that tennis should have implemented a similar ban on Russian athletes as was done with German athletes after World War 2.

Iga Swiatek wants Russian athletes to be banned from all sports as she condemns WTA’s poor leadership

Iga Swiatek, the world’s number one tennis player, has expressed her disapproval of tennis authorities not imposing a ban on Russian and Belarusian players following the conflict in Ukraine. Despite the ongoing war, Swiatek has been seen not shaking hands with Russian player Daria Kasatkina multiple times. In 2022, Wimbledon banned players from Russia and Belarus due to the invasion of Ukraine, but they could still compete in other tournaments under a neutral flag. Swiatek believes a ban would have been a powerful message to send to these countries.

Wimbledon has changed its stance for the upcoming 2023 Grand Slam tournament, but Iga Swiatek of Poland believes that tennis authorities could have handled the situation better right from the start. Despite this, she appreciates the reversal of the previous decision.

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“I heard that after World War Two, German players were not allowed as well as Japanese and Italian, and I feel like this kind of thing would show the Russian government that maybe it’s not worth it,” the 21-year-old Swiatek told the BBC.”Iga expressed that although athletes may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things, she believes that sports hold great importance and have often been utilized for propaganda purposes.

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Iga Swiatek, who holds the number one ranking in women’s tennis, has revealed that other players have been seeking her help and guidance regarding the issue of the ban on Russian and Belarusian players. She also criticized the lack of leadership from the WTA and ATP following the onset of the war, which has resulted in chaos in the world of tennis.

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Iga Swiatek’s candid response as the clay season commences

Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek (Credits: Twitter)

Iga Swiatek, who currently holds the top ranking in women’s tennis, appears to be very excited about the commencement of the clay season. The WTA Tour officially started the clay season on Monday, which was acknowledged by a tweet from Roland Garros’ Twitter account reading, “CLAY SEASON HERE WE GO.” In response to this tweet, Swiatek expressed her excitement, which is a clear indication of her fondness for playing on clay courts.

Iga Swiatek pulled out of the Miami Open and Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers on March 22 due to a rib injury. However, she has since resumed her training over the past weekend and seems to be targeting the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, which starts on April 17, to begin her clay season. It is worth noting that Swiatek is the defending champion of this tournament.

“I loved the atmosphere in Stuttgart last year and am looking forward to this one. I especially appreciate tournaments so close to Poland because my fans can support me on-site and it makes the atmosphere even better; so, I’m happy to confirm I’m going to play there in 2023,” Swiatek said in a statement. Iga Swiatek did not have a satisfactory start to her tennis season, and she will undoubtedly be highly motivated to make a fresh start during the clay season.

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