Yevgeny Kafelnikov urged not to condemn athletes who changed their citizenship
Russian tennis player, Olympic champion in 2000 Yevgeny Kafelnikov supported tennis players who changed their sports citizenship. His words are quoted by Gazeta.ru.
Kafelnikov urged not to condemn the players who decided to change the flag, because their career is limited. “The athlete cannot wait for the weather by the sea, wait for the political situation to change and we will be returned to world sport on the same conditions that were,” the champion added.
On June 5, Russian tennis player Varvara Gracheva changed her sports citizenship to French. The tennis player said that she decided to change the flag even before the coronavirus pandemic, as she has been living in France for more than six years.
At the end of February 2022, most sports organizations suspended Russians and Belarusians from tournaments on the recommendation of the International Olympic Committee. At the same time, the Russians continue to play in tournaments under the auspices of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) in a neutral status.
Source: Lenta
Kingston is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
