Svitolina calls for Russian & Belarusian athletes to be banned from Olympic Games

Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina has called for Russian and Belarusian athletes to be banned from the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The former world No 3, who gave birth to her first child last year and is working towards a comeback, posted a message on social media asking for officials to send a strong message by taking concrete action.

“The Olympics are the biggest dream and ultimate privilege for athletes,” Svitolina said. “They are the largest platform for inclusion and diversity in sports, capturing the attention of the world. With this in mind we must stick to banning Russian and Belarusian athletes, sending a strong message worldwide, that we are united in the sanctions imposed against Russia and Belarus,” Elina Svitolina wrote on social media.

“There are consequences for the heinous acts of their governments; their lives cannot continue as normal and the world, nor the Russian or Belarusian people can be ignorant of the atrocities they are committing in Ukraine,” she continued.

“Volodymyr Androshchuk, one of Ukraine’s rising stars in track & field, was sadly killed in action. He will never fulfil his potential or dreams at the games, so why should Russian and Belarusian athletes get their chance when their governments are robbing innocent people and athletes of their chance?!!” she questioned.

Svitolina, aged 28, is married to French tennis player Gael Monfils, won the bronze medal in women’s singles at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

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