While The International Olympic Committee and international federations are trying to convince that politics has nothing to do with sport, This year’s Roland Garros shows that sport cannot be separated from political reality.. The Paris Tennis Event proved that the suffering of war takes precedence over the values ​​that come from a sport that is expected to influence Olympic Games which will be held in the “City of Light” in 2024.

The Roland Garros event, which takes place on the Parisian courts, reminded the world community that sport in the context of military conflicts can be … a powder keg, that even one statement from an athlete is enough to kindle a flame. Tennis players from Ukraine, Russia and Belarus have brought the brutality of the war into the dressing room of the French Grand Slam and beyond, and Djokovic, with his statement on Kosovo, showed that no factors can prevent an athlete with personality from expressing his opinion. Of course, on the other hand, the French organizers, with their neutral statement, reminded more of … Pontius Pilate than people who want to impose bans, especially an athlete of Djokovic’s level.

The militant atmosphere is also transferred to the stands and divides the audience, who at one time expressed their dissatisfaction. war in Ukraine booing Russian or Belarusian athletes, and a few minutes later booing Ukrainian athlete Marta Kostyuk for refusing to shake her hand after the end of the match with Shbalenko. “The public should be ashamed,” Kostyuk said.

Elina Svitolina also conveyed the military atmosphere at the press conference. “I represent my country. I have a voice, and what the Russian government is doing with our land is terrible,” he stressed.. The Ukrainian defeated the Russian Daria Kasatkina and advanced to the quarterfinals. The 28-year-old athlete spoke about her rival in the best words. He called her “brave” because last month Kasatkina expressed sympathy for Ukrainian athletes who are unwilling to shake hands with Russians.

Highly politicized race

Of particular interest will be Svitolina’s match in the quarterfinals. There she will meet with Arina Shamalenko, who decided not to give press conferences at the event in Paris to avoid questions about the war after a Ukrainian journalist accused a Belarusian of supporting Lukashenka at the beginning of the event. Sobolenko spoke from time to time about the hatred that reigns in the dressing room and the strained relationship between athletes whose countries are engulfed in war.

Tomorrow the two tennis players will face each other and the public is expected to support Svitolina as she is married to French tennis player Gael Monfils. The couple has a child. The organizers have not yet announced whether security measures will be strengthened. Ukraine has repeatedly helped raise material and financial aid to support its struggling compatriots.

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