After Russia and Belarus were banned from all team and international events in 2022, they were also banned from participating in team events at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. However, individual athletes from Russia and Belarus were given the green light to compete as neutral athletes – tennis was one of the sports that fell into that category.
Then last week, the International Olympic Committee encouraged sports federations to allow Russian and Belarusian youth teams to compete with national flags and anthems. When it comes to the Summer Games that will take place in Los Angeles in 2028, discussions are ongoing, but there are also positive signs for Russia in that area.
Kuznetsova, who won the Fed Cup (now known as the Billie Jean King Cup) three times with Russia, hopes that everything will return to normal soon when it comes to Russian sport.
Kuznetsova: I hope that soon our athletes will be able to participate under the Russian flag in all international competitions
“I see more and more news in the media: in some places our athletes are gradually allowed to compete under the flag and the anthem, while in other places they are partially allowed. Light is finally starting to appear at the end of the tunnel – and that is good, although of course we want much more and clarity for everyone. Well, if the lifting of restrictions has already started, then I hope that our athletes will soon be able to participate in all international competitions under their own flag,” said the former world number 1. 2 said, via Championship.
Kuznetsova played on the WTA Tour between 2000 and 2021. She won 18 singles titles and was widely regarded as one of the best Russian tennis players in the 2000s.
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