Standing With Ukraine

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has prompted athletes around the world to speak out in opposition to the war. For some Ukrainians, they have had to go much, much further. Leticia Bila reports.

Sports figures from around the world have responded to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with strong words and actions urging peace in Eastern Europe.

The sporting community has banished Russia from competition, as well as Belarus for the support they have given to Vladimir Putin’s aggression.

International Federations have been urged by the International Olympic Committee to ban the two countries from events, in addition to stripping them of any hosting rights until further notice.

Since Russian tanks moved in on February 24, a large number of athletes have made their voices heard and their positions clear.

Ukrainian footballers Oleksandr Zinchenko of Manchester City and Vitaliy Mykolenko of Everton put competitiveness aside and embraced in tears as the crowd displayed banners and flags in support of Ukraine prior to the teams facing each other on February 26.

The only two Ukrainian players in the NBA, Alex Len of the Sacramento Kings and Svi Mykhailiuk of Toronto Raptors, used their Twitter accounts to release a joint statement in full solidarity with their country.

“A great tragedy befell our dear homeland Ukraine,” they said. “We categorically condemn the war.

“Ukraine is a peaceful, sovereign state inhabited by people who want to decide their own destiny. We pray for our families, friends, relatives and all the people who are in the territory of Ukraine.

“We hope for an end to this terrible war as soon as possible. Dear fellow Ukrainians, hold on! Our strength is in unity. We are with you!”

The emotion continued as the Kings and Denver Nuggets held a moment of silence while linking arms with Len before their game.

Ukrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina published a “Letter to my Motherland” and stated her faithfulness despite being “far away”.

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“Letter to my motherland, I am currently far away from you, out of sight from my loved ones, far from my people, but my heart has never felt so warm and filled of your soul,” she said.

“It is difficult to express how special you are. To me, you are strong, beautiful and unique. You gave me everything and I cherish every piece of you. Your culture, your education, your lands, your seas, your cities, your people. My people.

“My people, every day I fear for you. I am devastated, my eyes won’t stop crying, my heart won’t stop bleeding. But I am so proud. See our people, our mothers, our fathers, our brothers, our sisters, our children, they are so brave and strong, fighting to defend you.

“They are heroes. I commit to redistribute the prize money of my next tournaments to support the army and humanitarian needs and help them to defend you, our country.

“Ukraine, you unify us. You are our identity, you are our past and our future. We are Ukraine.

“May the world see it and help us to join forces to protect you. You are in all my thoughts and prayers.

“You are always with me. I am Ukraine. We are Ukraine.”

Svitolina, a two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist who won a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, secured a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Russia’s Anastasia Potapova at the Monterrey Open in a highly poignant encounter in March.

The 27-year-old said she would be donating her prize money to support the armed forces of Ukraine.

“I was on a mission for my country,” Svitolina said.

“I think it’s my mission to unite our tennis community to stand with Ukraine, to help Ukraine, because what we’re going through is a horrible thing for all Ukrainians.

“That’s why I’m here. That’s why I’m playing for my country and doing my best to use my platform to try to invite people to support Ukraine.”

Pavlo Dziuba, a Ukrainian college basketball player who plays for the University of Maryland, wrote “No War Peace” and “Pray for Ukraine” on his shoes for his side’s game against Indiana University.

It is not just Ukrainian athletes who have stood up to support the country, however.

Solidarity has crossed borders and has even come from Russia itself.

Russian tennis player Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova posted a powerful statement on social media which condemned her country’s assault on its neighbour.

“I’ve been playing tennis since I was a kid,” wrote Pavlyuchenkova, who won Olympic gold in the mixed doubles at Tokyo 2020 and reached last year’s French Open final. “I have represented Russia all my life. This is my home and my country. But now I am in complete fear, as are my friends and family.

“But I am not afraid to clearly state my position. I am against war and violence. Personal ambitions or political motives cannot justify violence. This takes away the future not only from us, but also from our children.

“I am confused and do not know how to help in this situation. I’m just an athlete who plays tennis. I am not a politician, not a public figure, I have no experience in this. I can only publicly disagree with these decisions taken and openly talk about it. Stop the violence, stop the war.”

Pavlyuchenkova’s compatriot Andrey Rublev, who won the mixed doubles gold with her in Tokyo, became another Russian voice to publicly condemn the war.

After beating Poland's Hubert Hurkacz in the semi-finals of the Dubai Tennis Championships, Rublev signed the camera lens with the message “No war please”.

“Now it’s not about tennis,” he said.

“It’s not about sport. It’s about having peace all over the world. We need to support each other.”

Andy Murray, Britain’s two-time Olympic champion and three-time Grand Slam winner, announced that he would donate his prize money from the rest of the year to Ukraine.

“Over 7.5 million children are at risk with the escalating conflict in Ukraine,” the Scot wrote.

“So I’m working with UNICEF UK to help provide urgent medical supplies and early childhood development kits.

“It’s vital education continues, so UNICEF is working to enable access to learning for displaced children, as well as supporting the rehabilitation of damaged schools, together with replacement equipment and furniture.”

One of the highest-profile Russians to speak out was ice hockey player Alex Ovechkin, who has been a supporter of Russian President Putin.

The 36-year-old three-time world champion made an appeal for peace.

“Please, no more war,” the left winger, who is captain of NHL side Washington Capitals, said.

Ukrainian footballers Oleksandr Zinchenko and Vitaliy Mykolenko showed their unity before facing each other in the Premier League.

Photo: Getty Images

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Russian ice hockey player Alex Ovechkin called for an end to the fighting in Ukraine. Photo: Getty Images

“It doesn’t matter who is in the war - Russia, Ukraine, different countries - we have to live in peace.”

When asked about his position regarding Putin, Ovechkin still acknowledged him as "my President". "I am not in politics,” he said. “I am an athlete.

“It’s a hard situation right now for both sides, and everything I hope is going to end. I’m not in control of this situation.”

Lithuania’s Olympic shooting champion Daina Gudzinevičiūtė has donated her Sydney 2000 gold medal to "Stronger Together", a non-Governmental organisation which has helped Ukrainians since the beginning of the crisis.

Gudzinevičiūtė, who topped the podium in the trap, was appointed as an IOC member in 2019.

She is the President of the National Olympic Committee of Lithuania. "Sport and Olympism symbolise world peace and unity," she said. "We wholeheartedly support the Ukrainian people, their athletes and the entire Olympic community. "We contribute to a common effort in any way possible."

Ukraine’s Olympic pole vaulter Yana Hladiychuk wrote the words “stop war” on her cheek at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade in March.

But some of her compatriots have gone above and beyond simply issuing statements, and have actively joined the defence of their homeland.

Brothers and former boxing world champions Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko were high-profile names to announce that they would fight back against the invasion.

“It’s already a bloody war,” Vitali Klitschko, who is also the Mayor of Ukrainian capital city Kyiv, said.

“I don’t have another choice. I have to do that.”

Former Ukrainian tennis player Sergiy Stakhovsky left his family in Hungary and signed up to the army to defend his country on the frontline, despite not having any previous military experience.

Heavyweight boxing world champion Oleksandr Usyk did the same before being granted leave to prepare for his title defence against Britain’s Anthony Joshua.

Lesya Vorotnyk, a principal dancer at Kyiv’s National Opera, was pictured holding a Kalashnikov rifle and wearing military gear, while another dancer, Oleksiy Potiomkin, also joined the fight in the capital.

Nordic combined athlete Dmytro Mazurchuk was another to take up arms, doing so just days after he competed at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics in February.

Biathlete Dmytro Pidruchnyi, who competed at the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics, signed up to defend his hometown Ternopil in western Ukraine.

For some, these displays of courage resulted in the ultimate price.

Yevhen Malyshev, a 19-yearold biathlete, died while serving in the Ukrainian military with his death confirmed by the International Biathlon Union.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, more than 4.2 million people have fled to neighbouring countries because of the war, while an estimated 6.6 million are believed to be displaced inside Ukraine.

Ukrainian tennis player Dayana Yastremska used social media to describe the nightmare she and her family have been through after they spent two nights sheltering underground in Odessa. "After spending two nights in the underground parking, my parents made a decision at any cost to send me and my little sister out of Ukraine,” the 21-year-old, who was once in the top 25 in the world rankings, said.

“Mom, dad, we love you very much, take care of yourself.

“I love you, my country.”