They will overshadow everything with Putin's support: Tsurenko tells what will happen if Russians are allowed to participate in the 2024 Olympics

Ukrainian tennis player Lesia Tsurenko has expressed confidence that Russians will organize provocations during the 2024 Olympic Games if they are allowed to compete. Our compatriot added that the "actions" of fans from the aggressor country will surely overshadow the competition itself.

Tsurenko said this in an interview with the Polish edition of Sportowe Fakty. The 34-year-old Kyiv resident recalled that at tennis competitions where tennis players from the Russian Federation are freely admitted, Russians come to matches wearing T-shirts with the image of dictator Vladimir Putin and the symbols of a terrorist state.

"I am sure that something similar will happen in Paris. Perhaps this will be the main theme of these Games, overshadowing the sports competitions. Please understand me: for Ukrainian athletes, the symbols associated with Russia are a boiling point that creates the feeling that nothing else is happening around them. Many Russians go to matches with flags, and some of them use the occasion to show support for Vladimir Putin. It is hard to expect the authorities to prosecute every fan wearing Russian colors. It is inevitable that people will use this opportunity to express their views," said Tsurenko.

On December 8, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the 2024 Olympics in neutral status. However, this applies only to individual events, and the athletes themselves must meet certain criteria. In response, swimmer Yevgeny Rylov refused to travel to Paris, and the rhythmic gymnastics team announced a boycott of the tournament in its entirety.

As OBOZ.UA previously reported, Russian skier Anastasia Faleeva was criticized in Russia for having "thoughts" of competing at the Olympics under a neutral flag.

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