Key facts
- Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostiuk condemned the IOC's decision to lift the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee.
- Kostiuk stated the IOC's move was "terrible" and "far from fair play."
- She expressed a desire to defeat any Russian athletes she encounters at the Olympics.
- The IOC recommended removing neutral status for Russian athletes in individual sports.
- Kostiuk highlighted the challenge of competing while her home country faces Russian attacks.
Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostiuk has strongly condemned the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to provisionally lift the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), calling the move "terrible" and "far from fair play."
Kostiuk, who recently advanced to the Wimbledon semifinals, expressed her disappointment following the IOC's Executive Board decision. She stated that the ruling was not fair to all involved countries, particularly Ukraine, and that she disagreed with it 100%. Kostiuk added that she hopes to "beat every single Russian" she plays in the Olympics.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian and Belarusian athletes have competed under a "neutral" status in international sports. The IOC's recent recommendation suggests removing this neutral status for athletes in individual sports, potentially allowing Russian flags to be displayed at the Games again.
Kostiuk also shared the personal toll of the ongoing conflict, noting the difficulty of focusing on tennis amidst recent Russian missile attacks on Kyiv, which have caused civilian casualties and destroyed residential buildings. She has previously used her athletic platform to raise international awareness about Russia's actions in Ukraine.
No Russian singles players currently remain in the Wimbledon tournament. While international sports bodies have eased some restrictions on Russian athletes, many still compete under neutral status or sport-specific rules. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russian sports officials of using athletic events to spread propaganda.