MOSCOW, Feb 28Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina said that she refuses to play with Russians and Belarusians and is withdrawing from the tournament in Monterrey, where she is supposed to meet with Anastasia Potapova. On Monday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended that sports federations not allow Russians and Belarusians to international competitions. In cases where this is not possible for organizational or legal reasons, the IOC Executive Board gives the relevant federation the right to find its own way to effectively solve the problem.
"I believe that the current situation requires a clear position from our organizations: ATP, WTA and ITF. Thus, we — Ukrainian players — asked them to follow the recommendations of the IOC to allow citizens of Russia or Belarus to compete only as neutral athletes, without displaying any national symbols, colors, flags or anthems. Accordingly, I would like to announce that I will not play tomorrow in Monterrey or in any other match against Russian or Belarusian tennis players until such time as our organizations make this necessary decision.
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he had decided on a special military operation of the Russian Federation to demilitarize Ukraine. In a televised address to the Russians, he said that the circumstances «require decisive and immediate action from us, the people's republics of Donbass turned to Russia with a request for help.» On February 21, Putin signed decrees recognizing the sovereignty of the LPR and the DPR.