Russian Flags Banned at Australian Open Tennis after Ukraine’s Complaint

In response to a protest from the Ukrainian ambassador, Tennis Australia has prohibited the flying of the Russian and Belarusian flags at the Australian Open, effective immediately.

Officials of the Australian Open have prohibited Russian flags from the Grand Slam following criticism of the display of the flag on the opening day of the competition.

Why was the Ban Issued?

In the first-round match between Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova and Ukraine’s Kateryna Baindl on Monday, supporters put up the red, white, and blue colors of their country’s flag. It ultimately prompted Tennis Australia to issue the ban, which was made public on Tuesday morning.

Ukrainian fans reportedly called security and police to the stands.

Two days before the tournament thirty people, including 15-year-old Maria Lebid, were killed when Russian missiles targeted an apartment building in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.

The Russian and Belarusian flags were seen being displayed during the Australian Open despite a new Tennis Australia (TA) rule banning it.

Tennis Australia initially permitted spectators to bring banners for Russia and Belarus to Melbourne Park as long as they didn’t cause any trouble.

However, after a Russian flag was visibly flown courtside during a match involving the Ukrainian player Kateryna Baindl, the policy was changed on Tuesday morning.

Protest from the Ukrainian ambassador

Vasyl Myroshnychenko, Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia and New Zealand wrote on Twitter: “I strongly condemn the public display of the Russian flag during the game of the Ukrainian tennis player Kateryna Baindl at the Australian Open today.”

“I call on Tennis Australia to immediately enforce its ‘neutral flag’ policy.”

“A banned flag was waved by spectators during a match at JCA on Tuesday,” a TA spokesperson told news agency AAP.

“The patrons were spoken to by security and the flag was removed.”

“The ban will be effective immediately,” TA said in a statement on Tuesday morning.

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