Player deported from Prague while others warned to stay away further fuels ban controversy in WTA tennis

WTA
Monday, 31 July 2023 at 09:15
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After issues with the Warsaw Open seeing Vera Zvonareva being deported on attempting to enter the country to play the tournament, the Prague Open are the latest to be embroiled in controversy surrounding Russian and Belarusian players.
Reports broke on Friday evening of a player being deported and turned round immediately on attempting to land in Prague. That player has now been confirmed as Evgeniya Rodina.
Others such as Erika Andreeva, sister of Mirra (who is pictured), Polina Kudermetova and Diana Shnaider were told to stay away from qualifying. While Aliaksandra Sasnovich was due to play main draw.
This after the instance with Rodina and she was supposedly the first to arrive in the country meaning barring if these players have planned to travel, no more instances should now occur.
But with WTA players with these nationalities allowed to compete under neutral banners, it throws up questions about whether this will be an ongoing theme and what the organisation will do to solve it.
The statement from the WTA said the following:
"The WTA emphatically condemns the war in Ukraine and the reprehensible actions of the Russian government. The WTA also continues to support the Tour’s Ukrainian athletes – as well as all WTA athletes – who face immense challenges as professional athletes while many of their loved ones and their country face attacks from Russia.
"Individual WTA players whose nationality is Russian/Belarusian continue to compete on the Tour on a neutral basis. Despite their neutrality, some WTA players are being denied by Czech government authorities the ability to compete at the WTA 250 event scheduled to be held in Prague next week.
"WTA rules state that all players must be allowed to compete on the WTA based solely on merit, without discrimination. We will continue to review the situation as we factor important considerations around these complex geopolitical issues."
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mandoist 04 August 2023 at 22:38+ 1140

"WTA rules state that all players must be allowed to compete on the WTA based solely on merit, without discrimination. We will continue to review the situation as we factor important considerations around these complex geopolitical issues."

Well, WTA, which is it?
You condone these unilateral deportings and/or bans to certain players... or you do not. There's no in-between according to your rules.
Where does it say you defer to a venue's organizational bans, therefor players refused entry can go home and suck it up??

What the fuck is wrong with WTA anymore that they cannot make a solid decision? Instead they continue to pretend they have no power. The old 'head-in-the-sand' routine.

GustafC 30 July 2023 at 18:55+ 363

So, individuals can now force Tennis Governing Bodies who may or may not compete at tournaments. What an absolute disgrace and what has the world come too?!! Why does this not apply to the US, Brittain, Germany, France and other Western Countries who are still involved in the internal affairs of other countries. Not to speak of the millions of innocent people they've killed in Iraq, Lybia, Syria, Yemen and many more other countries.

Will players of these countries also be banned on request of Russian, Belarus, India, China and more than 50 other countries if they decide to sign a petition, doing the same and arguing on the same principles as is being argued by Ukraine players and supported by individuals of other Western Countries at the moment!?

Of course not! We all kow the hypocracy and double standards which we experience on a daily basis. Their could have been peace in Ukraine already if it wasn't for Boris Johnson who stopped the process when he visited their comedian President earlier the year and then went on to convince NATO Countries to gang up, suppprting Ukraine and keep on sending them weapons to keep on fighting. Thousands have died since then in both sides. Where are the the so called leaders who believe in peace!!!?? How many must still die before, as John Lennon sang many moons ago...... "Give peace a Chance." Ordiary people must start to rise up in every country now demanding that their so called leaders enter into negotiations to find a solution for this war...... one where borh sides made mistakes but actually started off when Kiev decided to shoot and bomb Russian speaking Ukranians in the East of the country after radical groups took control in Kiev with the help and support of the US.

cas 02 August 2023 at 03:46+ 24

Don't bother explaining your bs. Nobody cares about your crazy propaganda and lies. The truth is obvious. One country wants to be free and democratic the other (a tyranic dictatorship led by a corrupt tyrant) wants to dominate, manipulate and enslave it's neighbour by using brutal force. Of course Ukraine is no angel but at this point that is irrelevant.

Golfe1 02 August 2023 at 03:46+ 9

Absolutely ban Russia and their allies from competing!

Sashazim 30 July 2023 at 14:25+ 0

Thanks god not everyone is of that stupid position …

cas 02 August 2023 at 02:34+ 24

God told me he supports Ukraine! He said we should ban anyone sponsored by the Russian or Belarus governments. Exactly what you would expect God to say!

sextonbj 02 August 2023 at 03:46+ 203

Thank goodness for sanity in Czechoslovakia 👏👏👏👏👏🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦

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