The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will see Belarusian tennis stars Arina Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka unable to compete. This update comes from Tennis Current, noting their absence from the Olympic roster.
Reports indicate Sabalenka was left off the list due to her public relationship with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Shared photographs with the president have drawn attention and sparked discussion about eligibility and appearances at the Games.
Sabalenka is currently ranked as the world’s No. 2 singles player, with Iga Swiatek from Poland holding the top spot. Azarenka, a former world No. 1 in singles, previously achieved Olympic glory in mixed doubles in 2012 alongside Maxim Mirny.
In early March, there were discussions that Russian and Belarusian athletes might compete in Paris 2024 if they adhered to the neutral athlete principles outlined by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The Paris Games are scheduled to begin in late July 2024.
During an IOC Executive Committee meeting on March 28, it was proposed that Russian athletes could maintain neutral status provided they refrain from active support of military operations.
Earlier, Mammadov commented that about 85 percent of the public does not support Russians’ participation in the Olympic Games. [Citation: IOC policy discussions and public sentiment reports].