Ukrainian Tennis Star Wants to Ban Russian Athletes Who Don’t Pass Her Ideology Test

Politics ruin sports.

Elina Svitolina, a Ukrainian tennis star, is demanding that Russian and Belarusian tennis players be banned from international competitions unless they pass her ideology test.

She released her ideology exam by twitter:

Please answer just one. Did you support killings of Ukranian children in Donbas since 2014 or they doesn't matter because they are Russian ethnicity? You were silent for 8 years, why they must answer yours now? pic.twitter.com/MC1dA5qUcA

— Big bad Bruin (@bruinsdd) April 20, 2022

She wants to know:

1. Do you support Russia’s and Belarus invasion in Ukraine’s territory and as a result of that the war started by those countries?

2. Do you support Russia’s and Belarus military activities in Ukraine?

3. Do you support Putin’s and Lukashenko’s regime?

It’s a pass of fail or test.  One wrong answer and a competitor is banned if Svitolina gets her way.

Actually, remaining silent will get you banned by her.  She wrote, “In times of crisis, silence means agreeing with what is happening. There comes a time when silence is betrayal, and that time is now.”

Unless an athlete sees the world as she does, the athlete must be canceled.  And she’s not alone.

The All England Club decided to formally ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from Wimbledon.  They don’t even get to take Svitolina’s test to prove their innocence.

In a press release, the Club chairman states, “We recognize that this is hard on the individuals affected, and it is with sadness that they will suffer for the actions of the leaders of the Russian regime.”

Novak Djokovic, a free thinking tennis star in his own right, called the ban “crazy”.  It is.

Novak Djokovic has said he "cannot support" the "crazy" Wimbledon ban on Russian and Belarusian players https://t.co/cViuv9Uo4z

— Sky News (@SkyNews) April 21, 2022

These are the types of players that are being punished for a war they didn't start; by leaders they can't choose. But you want to make your political statement to make it seem like you're doing anything meaningful. Shame on you. pic.twitter.com/E2K7vyAdvH

— NoFirstName Hardcourtdalovic (@samstennnis) April 20, 2022

Daniil Medvedev, a Russian, is currently ranked as world No. 2 by the Association of Tennis Professionals.  He held the top stop for three week earlier this year.

He can thank the Royal Family for Wimbledon’s decision to yank him from the competition.

According to Yahoo Sport:

Fears about how it would look to parade a Russian or Belarusian winner alongside the Royal Family are reportedly behind Wimbledon’s stunning decision to ban players from those countries.

What hubris.  The Royal Family denies an athlete his shot at a title because they’re afraid of the optics.

Newsflash for Royal Family  …  There’s no sense keeping up appearances after the world became acquainted with your devilish Prince Andrew.  Those are the optics you will never recover from.