21 hours ago
Why Aryna Sabalenka doesn't have Belarus flag next to her name at French Open
Aryna Sabalenka is currently facing Coco Gauff in the women's singles final at the French Open, held at Roland Garros in Paris, France. The Belarusian claimed the opening set 7-6 after a tightly contested battle lasting an hour and 20 minutes. However, what drew significant attention wasn't just her performance. It was the absence of the Belarusian flag next to her name. Instead, a plain blue rectangle appeared in its place. This marks the third consecutive year that players from Russia and Belarus have been prohibited from competing under their national flags at Grand Slam events, a policy that was implemented in response to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Belarus, a close ally of Putin-led Russia, remains subject to these sanctions.
