Desisyon ng Wimbledon na pabalikin na sa paglalaro ang Russian tennis players, tinutulan ng two-times Wimbledon champion
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - MARCH 31: Petra Kvitova of Czechia in action against Sorana Cirstea of Romania during the semifinals of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 31, 2023 in Miami Gardens, Florida. Al Bello/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by AL BELLO / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
Sinabi ng two-times Wimbledon champion na si Petra Kvitova, na tutol siya sa desisyon ng All England Club na payagan nang lumahok sa torneo ngayong taon ang Russian at Belarusian players.
Noong isang taon ay nagpataw ng ban ang Wimbledon sa mga manlalaro ng Russia at Moscow-allied Belarus, matapos ang pagsakalay nito sa Ukraine at pinagbawalan din ng Lawn Tennis Association ang nabanggit na mga manlalaro na lumahok sa iba pang events sa United Kingdom.
Gayunman, maaaring lumahok sa Grand Slam ang mga manlalaro mula sa dalawang bansa sa July kung sila ay sasali bilang “neurtal” athletes at susunod sa ilang mga kondisyon.
Sinabi ni Kvitova, na partikular niyang ipinag-aalala ay ang involvement ng Russia at Belarus sa Olympic Games.
Ayon naman sa All England Club, na siyang nagpapatakbo sa Wimbledon, ang desisyon ay ginawa matapos makipag-usap sa UK government, governing Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) ng Britanya at sa international tennis bodies.
Sinabi ni Kvitova, “First of all, for sure I’m always staying against the war. For sure, I’m just more worried about the Ukrainian people and players. I appreciate that Wimbledon had a tough time last year not giving the points (after) the Russian didn’t play. I think they shouldn’t be allowed actually. In my opinion, (n)either to the Olympics. So I’m just a little bit on the Ukrainian side of this.”
Dagdag pa niya, “Not in the Olympics for sure, because I feel the Olympic Games are because we don’t want war in the world. So that’s my concern. I am really appreciating that Wimbledon didn’t take them last year. I and other players had not been consulted about the Wimbledon decision and the issue had not been discussed in the locker-room.”
Malugod namang tinanggap ng men’s ATP tour at women’s WTA tour — na tinanggihan ang world ranking points para sa Wimbledon noong nakaraang taon dahil sa pagbabawal sa mga manlalaro ng Russia at Belarusian, ang desisyon ng Wimbledon ngunit kinondena ng foreign minister ng Ukraine na si Dmytro Kuleba ang hakbang bilang “immoral.”
© Agence France-Presse
