Arsenal Star Oleksandr Zinchenko Calls for Ban on Russian and Belarusian Athletes
Arsenal star Oleksandr Zinchenko has called for a ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes from high-level sports competitions. This comes after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which sparked worldwide outrage and led to the national football team being banned from official UEFA competition. Athletes across other sports were also sanctioned. However, Russian and Belarusian athletes will be allowed to compete at Wimbledon this year, provided they sign neutral declarations. This decision has not sat well with Zinchenko, who believes that the blanket ban on athletes from Russia and Belarus should remain.
Why Zinchenko Believes Russian and Belarusian Athletes Should Be Banned
Zinchenko spoke passionately about why he believes that Russian and Belarusian athletes should be banned from high-level sport. He stated that he is one of the Ukrainians who does not like to see them at the highest level in any sport. He believes that they should not be allowed to compete because of the number of bombs and rockets being sent from Belarus. He emphasized that this is not political but war. He also pointed out that they talk about not putting politics in sport, but this is not political. It is war. Zinchenko believes that these athletes should not be allowed to compete because they do not do anything to be on the justice side.
Zinchenko’s Stance on Shaking Hands with Russian and Belarusian Athletes
When asked if he would shake hands with a Russian or Belarusian athlete, Zinchenko said that there was no chance. He would never accept their reaction, and he had to be honest. He acknowledged that some people might say that they did not do anything against them, but they did. They did not react. Zinchenko believes that if no one speaks out, they will get scared. He is sorry, but he does not want to be called brothers or whatever like they did in the past. Never again.
The Ban on Russian and Belarusian Athletes
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 led to worldwide outrage and sanctions on Russian and Belarusian athletes. The national football team was banned from official UEFA competition, and athletes across other sports were also sanctioned. However, Russian and Belarusian athletes will be allowed to compete at Wimbledon this year, provided they sign neutral declarations. This decision has not sat well with Zinchenko, who believes that the blanket ban on athletes from Russia and Belarus should remain.
Conclusion
Arsenal star Oleksandr Zinchenko has called for a ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes from high-level sports competitions. He believes that they should not be allowed to compete because of the number of bombs and rockets being sent from Belarus. Zinchenko emphasized that this is not political but war. He also pointed out that they talk about not putting politics in sport, but this is not political. It is war. Zinchenko believes that these athletes should not be allowed to compete because they do not do anything to be on the justice side.