Olijnykova on Russians in sport: “Part of the propaganda”

The Ukrainian tennis player is sceptical about the ongoing normalisation of the Russian sports system.

A possible participation in next year’s Ice Hockey World Championship in Germany, the planned hosting of the 2030 World Weightlifting Championships and other examples: Russian sport is gradually making its way back onto the international stage. Ukrainian tennis player Oleksandra Olijnykowa sees this as a “terrible” development: “These people are part of Russian propaganda,” the 25-year-old told the AFP news agency.

“It’s a victory for Russian propaganda – as if we had accepted the people and symbols of a country that kills people every day. People have accepted those who support these terrible things,” explained Olijnykova, who is directly affected by the war in her home country. Ranked 62nd in the WTA world rankings, she lives in the capital, Kyiv; her father and partner are serving in the Ukrainian armed forces.

“When I watch the news, I feel great compassion, and it is very painful for me to witness this,” said Olijnykova: “When I go home, I live under shelling; I see destroyed buildings.” Olijnykova had already drawn attention to the situation in her homeland in various ways at the Australian Open in January and expressed criticism of the approach taken by the sports federations.

In July, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) eased restrictions on Russian athletes, paving the way for them to take part in qualifying competitions for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Many international sports federations have since followed suit. In tennis, Russian and Belarusian female players have long been part of the tour competing under a neutral flag.