"I no longer have the moral strength to fight them": Elina Svitolina riterates frustration with tennis bodies & IOC for allowing Russian participation
Elina Svitolina riterated her complaints with Russian and Belarusian athletes still being allowed to participate in international sports, including tennis, lamenting that she has run out of "moral strength" to keep fighting her fight.
Since the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022, Ukraine's Svitolina has led the charge against the entry of Russian tennis players on the tour. However, while players from the two countries were banned from Wimbledon, they have been allowed to participate in every other tournament, albeit under a neutral flag.
At the moment, it looks like no such ban will take place during the upcoming Paris Olympics as well, as they are likely to be allowed to compete once more under neutral colors.
Speaking to Kyiv Post in a recent interview, the 28-year-old touched on the issue, stating that nothing has changed in the public perception since these athletes are still going about their usual lives. Ukrainian athletes, on the other hand, are busy dying for their country, lamented Svitolina.
The former World No. 3, however, hoped the situation could change soon, adding that there were many organizations that are advocating for the ban of Russian and Belarusian athletes from all sports until the war comes to a peaceful end.
"It's hard for me to say how they are treated, because I didn't take part in competitions [over the past year]. But I don't think anything has changed there, unfortunately. The WTA and ATP tennis associations still allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to continue playing."
"But I hope that we will be able to change this situation. There are already many organizations that are trying to provide all the arguments in our favor. This is clearly not fair. Russian athletes have the opportunity to continue playing as if nothing ever happened. And our athletes are dying for our country," Elina Svitolina said.
Svitolina went on to reveal that she herself has had "so many meetings" with officials from the IOC (International Olympic Committee), the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) and the WTA (Women's Tennis Association), to no avail. The Ukrainian was of the opinion that these organizations were intentionally turning a blind eye to the issue, perhaps so they might not become entrenched in controversy.
"Their most common argument is that sports belong outside of politics. They say that athletes have nothing to do with politics. I already have had so many meetings with various officials of the Olympic Committee and tennis organizations that, to be honest, I no longer have the moral strength to fight them. After all, they just don't want to open their eyes and face the truth," Svitolina said.
"One of the reasons I didn't have any motivation to train was the war itself" - Elina Svitolina on how the war affected her
Elina Svitolina also spoke about how the war touched her personally, stating that it was one of the main reasons why she did not have any motivation to train during her time on the sidelines. In the midst of the war, the Ukrainian also had to take a leave of absence due to her pregnancy as the 28-year-old gave birth to her first child with fellow tennis player Gael Monfils at the end of last year.
With some of her family also in Ukraine, caught in the middle of the conflict, Svitolina noted that she could not do anything besides cope with her emotions during that mentally challenging period.
"I was lucky. I expected the worst, especially given the fact that during my pregnancy I did not exercise at all in order to give my body a rest. One of the reasons I didn't have any motivation to train was the war itself. For the first two months of the full-scale invasion, I was still performing," Elina Svitolina said.
"However, it was difficult for me to mentally focus as my family was still in Ukraine. So later, when I was physically resting, I spent that time coping with the emotions caused by the war," she added.
Elina Svitolina was last seen in action at the 2022 Sunshine Double and will be making her comeback at the upcoming Charleston Open starting in April.