Iga Swiatek Supports WTA’s Decision to Ban Elena Rybakina’s coach: “The whole process was made with the right rules”

Iga Swiatek supported the WTA’s decision to ban Elena Rybakina’s coach, Stefano Vukov. The five-time Grand Slam champion stated that the rules must be respected and that trust should be placed in the process behind Vukov’s suspension.

The WTA announced this week that the investigation into Vukov’s alleged mistreatment of his player is still ongoing and that his suspension remains in effect, despite his reinstatement in Rybakina’s team. As a result, he is currently barred from tournament premises.

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The WTA has not yet disclosed details of the suspension or the specific code of conduct violation. According to The Athletic, the allegations involve verbal abuse by Vukov toward Rybakina, although the former Wimbledon champion has denied such claims.

World No. 2 Iga Swiatek, who recently defeated Rybakina in the Qatar Open quarterfinals, spoke about the importance of respecting the WTA’s investigative process. "I guess everybody needs to respect the decision because we need to trust that the whole process was made with the right rules.”

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"Every personal trainer, every coach, they need to kind of accept the code of conduct when they want to be on WTA,” the four-time Roland Garros champion added. "So for sure I hope the WTA is doing everything to make it a safe environment."

The WTA has provided players with anonymous reporting channels and investigative follow-ups to ensure their protection. Vukov’s suspension was issued due to an alleged violation of the code of conduct, though it only applies to official tournaments. This means the WTA cannot dictate whether Vukov remains part of Rybakina’s team but can prevent him from accessing official events and credentials.

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