- Category
- Latest news
Ukrainian Tennis Star Lesia Tsurenko Sues WTA for Failing to Enforce Ban on Pro-War Russian and Belarusian Athletes
- Authors
![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
Ukrainian tennis player Lesia Tsurenko has initiated legal proceedings against the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), alleging the organization failed to enforce a ban on athletes from Russia and Belarus who have publicly supported the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
According to Associated Press on April 17, Tsurenko was compelled to withdraw from the tournament in Indian Wells after the WTA allowed participation of individuals who had expressed support for Russia’s war of aggression. She believes that this move directly contradicts prior commitments made by the association.
The tennis player contends that WTA leadership, including former CEO Steve Simon, neglected to uphold assurances made during a meeting with Ukrainian players. According to her lawsuit, WTA officials had pledged to prohibit the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes who publicly endorse the war. That promise, the suit claims, was never honored.
“Despite this promise,” the legal filing states, “neither Defendant Steve Simon nor Defendant WTA took steps to ban Russian and Belarusian players who had publicly expressed support for the war.”
The lawsuit further highlights the case of Russian tennis player Veronika Kudermetova, who appeared at the French Open wearing sponsorship logos from Tatneft, a subsidiary of a company sanctioned by the European Union for its involvement in supplying resources to the Russian military.
In its official response to the AP, the WTA reaffirmed its opposition to Russia’s war, stating that the organization has been “steadfast and clear in its condemnation of the Russian government’s actions against the Ukrainian people.”
The WTA emphasized that it had undertaken “numerous steps” to support Ukrainian athletes facing immense challenges in their professional careers. At the same time, the association reaffirmed its adherence to principles of equality and non-discrimination, asserting that players must be allowed to compete based on merit.
Earlier, Ukrainian athlete Yevhenii Melnyk, competing in the under-45 kg category, secured a bronze medal at the Youth Karate League held in Guadalajara, Spain. His achievement drew significant public attention not only for his sporting success, but also for his principled stance—Melnyk declined to participate in a group photograph with a Russian competitor, in a gesture reflecting solidarity with Ukraine amid the ongoing war.
-c6522ae9e5320af1cc92504c0aaa1b34.png)
-a80eca3386f843ec2c53278e18ae1131.jpg "Rare Footage Shows Ukrainian Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Unit Launching Multiple Chaklun-V UAVs at Night, Video")
