Russia Should Be Banned: Dolgopolov
Kyiv, March 17: Ukrainian ex-tennis player Alexandr Dolgopolov has demanded a ban on Russia from participating in any sporting event over its invasion of Ukraine.
Russian and Belarusian players are not allowed to compete under their country’s flags and names following Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine. Both the countries have been suspended from international tennis team competitions. “Letting them play just by saying a few words that they are against war, I don’t believe this is enough. I know all those guys personally. I even played Daniil. They are nice guys but no offence to them. I believe Russia should be blocked from any participant in any sport, in any culture”, BBC quoted Dolgopolov as saying.
“I think every Russian is responsible for their government and their President. Just being neutral, taking away their flag, we know that is not changing anything. “And even the sanctions that are happening now, even the destroyed economics it is not enough for (Russian President Vladimir Putin) to stop,” he said.
As a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, WTA and ATP combined events scheduled to take place in Moscow in October have been suspended.
