AustraliaThe Open Tennis Tournament, held in Melbourne Park every January, has started. After the spectators unfurled the Russian flag in the match between the Ukrainian athlete Kateryna Baindl and the Russian athlete Kamilla Rakhimova, the Ukrainian sports fans filed a complaint with the police and security units on the grounds that the Russian spectators mocked the Ukrainian athlete Baindl. Following the complaint, all spectators were forbidden to raise a flag in order not to cause “discrimination”. But the tournament organizers overturned the decision, finding it unfair. In this context, only Russian and Belarus flags are prohibited. The decision was immediately implemented. “We will continue our efforts to ensure that our athletes and spectators enjoy tennis in the best possible environment,” said Tennis Australia, known as the tennis governing body in Australia.
On the other hand, the Victorian state government evaluated Tennis Australia’s ban decision as the right choice.
SPORTS FANS DIVIDED
Some of the audience welcomed the ban decision positively and some negatively. One of the audience is in these days when the war is going on. flag He said, “This is a small court. The spectators are very close to the athletes. So I realized that it felt like intimidation,” he said.
One of the Russian spectators stated that they simply supported the Russian athlete and said, “There is no mocking or disrespect here.”
Wimbledon, known as the most prestigious tennis tournament, banned Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in the tournament.
.