Russian politician comes down hard on Elina Svitolina claiming they are ‘shifting responsibility’ amidst the handshake controversy at Wimbledon

Russian Duma member Svetlana Zhurova's comments come in light of the no-handshake controversy at Wimbledon.

Russian politician comes down hard on Elina Svitolina claiming they are ‘shifting responsibility’ amidst the handshake controversy at Wimbledon

Svetlana Zhurova and Elina Svitolina (Credits: Eurosport and Reuters)

The recent Wimbledon round of 16 match between Belarus’ Victoria Azarenka and Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina had its fair share of controversies. The crowd jeered at Azarenka at the end of the match, in spite of the two mutually agreeing not to shake hands after the match.

During the press conference that followed, Svitolina expressed her wish that the WTA would take the matter into their own hands and put out an official statement regarding no handshaking between Ukrainian and Russian/Belarusian players. This wish materialized with an official statement by the WTA on their Twitter handle.

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Svetlana Zhurova, a member of the Russian State Duma, has weighed in on the matter. She believes that Ukrainian tennis players are forced to behave this way by indirect means. Rather, it is the indirect fear of potentially facing persecution in their country if they act too friendly with the Russian/Belarusian players.

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“Ukrainian tennis players are shifting responsibility from themselves to international federations. They have been saying and demanding this for a long time, fearing persecution in their own country. Svitolina is insured in this way.”

Also read: Wimbledon 2023: Jessica Pegula vs Markéta Vondroušová Preview, Prediction and Live Stream

Zhurova claims that Ukrainian players are acting for their own safety from persecution

Elina Svitolina and Victoria Azarenka
Elina Svitolina and Victoria Azarenka (Credits: Reuters)

In their official statement, the WTA announced that it will not take action against Ukrainian athletes for forgoing the handshake tradition. This, they mentioned, was because their decision to forego the gesture was a personal one.

Handshakes at the end of matches have long been seen as a symbol of sportsmanship and respect in tennis. The refusal to participate in this tradition raises questions about the future of sportsmanship in the sport. If athletes continue to forgo handshakes, it could undermine the spirit of fair play and camaraderie that the sport has fostered for years.

The controversy surrounding the handshake policy in tennis has shed light on the intersection of sports and politics. Elina Svitolina’s refusal to shake hands with Victoria Azarenka has sparked a heated debate about the responsibilities of international tennis organizations and the impact of political tensions on athletes.

With that being said, both Svitolina and Azarenka will aim to put this incident behind them and focus on their matches. Svitolina has a rather important match coming up against top seed Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon quarterfinals.

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