Russian flags are banned from the Australian Open
The organizers of the australian open they prohibited the russian flags and Belarusians in the compound of Melbourne Park during the tournament after a complaint from the Ukrainian ambassador in the country.
On Monday, fans hoisted Russia’s red, white and blue stripes during a first-round clash between Ukraine’s Kateryna Baindl and Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova on day one.
Ukrainian fans reportedly called security and police to the stands. A Russian flag was also unfurled at Rod Laver Arena during Daniil Medvedev’s clash with American Marcos Giron.
Flags of Russia and Belarus cannot be seen in the venue
The Tennis Federation banned the display of flags on Tuesday.
“I strongly condemn the public display of the Russian flag during Ukrainian tennis player Kateryna Baindl’s match at the Australian Open today,” Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia and New Zealand Vasyl Myroshnychenko wrote on Twitter.
Tennis Australia in its statement said its initial policy was to allow fans to bring in the flags as long as it did not create any “disruption”.
Australian Open: Russian and Belarusian flags are banned due to a Ukrainian protest
Russian and Belarusian players were banned from Wimbledon last year, but can compete as individual athletes with no national affiliation at the Australian Open. Their flags are not displayed next to their names on TV broadcasts, as is the case with other players, and their nation is not stated on the draw sheets.
Ukraine’s number two Marta Kostyuk told Reuters news agency on Monday that she would not shake hands with tour rivals Russia and Belarus, who she feels have not done enough to speak out against the invasion. .
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