By Shrivathsa Sridhar (Reuters) -Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko said she has initiated legal action against the WTA alleging “moral abuse” from an unnamed executive of the elite women’s tour which led to panic attacks and hampered her career. Tsurenko, who has talked frequently about the challenges of competing on tour since Russia’s invasion, pulled out of […]
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Tennis-Ukraine’s Tsurenko takes legal action against WTA over ‘moral abuse’
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By Shrivathsa Sridhar
(Reuters) -Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko said she has initiated legal action against the WTA alleging “moral abuse” from an unnamed executive of the elite women’s tour which led to panic attacks and hampered her career.
Tsurenko, who has talked frequently about the challenges of competing on tour since Russia’s invasion, pulled out of a match at Indian Wells in 2023 saying she had a panic attack following a talk with WTA leadership about its response to the war.
“I spoke about it openly and directly,” Tsurenko wrote on social media platform X on Wednesday.
“I tried to seek protection and justice within the WTA. But in response, I faced indifference and injustice, which led to a prolonged moral decline.”
The WTA said in a statement that it had been steadfast and clear in its condemnation of the war and had also taken numerous steps to assist Ukrainian players facing challenges.
“The WTA has been equally clear that it was founded on principles of equality and non-discrimination and its rules provide that competitions are open to all women who qualify based on their merit, and without discrimination,” it said.
“Consistent with those principles … the WTA has taken the position that individual athletes should not be penalised for the actions of their governments.”
Tsurenko, 35, wrote that the WTA Tour had become a “terrifying” and “alien” place for her now.
“Pain, fear, panic attacks, humiliation, withholding information, harassment of my team to silence me … and this isn’t even the full list of what I’ve had to endure,” she said.
“The WTA Tour refused to protect a woman, a player, a human being. Instead, the WTA Tour chose to protect a person in a leadership position.
“My last chance to defend myself, to stand up for my rights, my dignity, and to prevent such acts of violence in sports is to seek justice in court.”
The WTA said it sympathised with Tsurenko and other players from her country but was disappointed she had decided to engage in litigation to hold the WTA responsible for her distress.
“At all times, the WTA and its management acted appropriately and in accordance with our rules,” it added.
“We are confident that we will prevail in this litigation.”
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford and Toby Davis)