Elina Svitolina refuses to play Russian or Belarusian players due to Ukraine invasion, tells WTA to 'take action'

Elina Svitolina has said she will refuse to play Russian or Belarusian players until they are classed as 'neutral athletes' and will withdraw from this week's Monterrey Open unless the WTA take action. World No.

15 Svitolina is the top seed in Monterrey and is scheduled to play Russia’s Anastasia Potapova in the first round. Ad/> But, following Russia's full-scale invasion of her home country Ukraine, Svitolina has urged tennis' governing bodies to make a «necessary decision».

Tennis‘I am in complete fear’ — Russian Pavlyuchenkova condemns Moscow’s assault on Ukraine6 HOURS AGO “I believe the current situation requires a clear position from our organizations: ATP, WTA and ITF,” wrote Svitolina on Twitter. “As such, we – Ukrainian players – requested to ATP, WTA and ITF to follow the recommendations of the IOC [International Olympic Committee] to accept Russian or Belarusian nationals only as neutral athletes, without displaying any national symbols, colours, flags or anthems.” The International Olympic Committee has recommended that all Russians and Belarusian athletes should be blocked from competing for their countries.

Svitolina to donate prize money to Ukraine How tennis reacted to Russia's invasion of Ukraine FIFA bans Russia from international football The IOC says if athletes cannot be blocked from competition, Russia and Belarus should not compete under their flag — as is already the case with Russia because of its recent doping scandals. Svitolina, who told Eurosport that she plans to donate all her prize money to Ukraine, added: “Accordingly, I want to announce that I will not play tomorrow in Monterrey, nor any other match against Russian or Belarusian tennis players until our organizations take this necessary