Russia’s Daria Kasatkina’s control say a flag error will have “sturdy implications” for the participant after she used to be wrongly indexed as representing Spain at a WTA Excursion draw rite – resulting in tips she had switched allegiance.
BBC Game has been informed Kasatkina, who has criticised Russia’s LGBT regulations and antagonistic the battle in Ukraine, has no longer switched allegiance.
The illusion of the Spanish flag subsequent to the sector quantity 11’s identify throughout the Abu Dhabi Open draw attracted consideration, sparking on-line dialogue that she had made up our minds to forestall representing Russia.
“It’s unsuitable and we will categorically deny she is switching to Spain,” Kasatkina’s control informed BBC Game.
In a while Sunday, event organisers apologised to 27-year-old Kasatkina for the mistake.
“This used to be a wholly administrative mistake and has now been corrected,” they stated.
Kasatkina, who’s one in every of a couple of brazenly homosexual avid gamers at the WTA Excursion, publicly got here out in a video interview, exterior with Russian blogger Vitya Kravchenko in July 2022.
In the similar video, the 2022 French Open semi-finalist known as for an finish to Russia’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine. She described the battle as “a whole nightmare”.
Kasatkina’s control stated it were “tricky” for the participant since brazenly discussing her sexuality and opposition to the battle.
Kasatkina, who lives in Dubai and on occasion trains in Spain, has no longer been to Russia up to now two and a part years.
Her control stated the Abu Dhabi error used to be “probably fairly damaging” to her.
They added: “This carries some sturdy implications for Daria if the Russian government really feel she is making an attempt to modify – which she isn’t.”
In 2023, Russia’s Perfect Court docket dominated the “world LGBT motion” used to be an “extremist organisation”.
Human rights activists stated, exterior the ruling “jeopardised” LGBT rights and larger the chance of activists being prosecuted.
Within the aftermath of Kasatkina’s risk-taking interview, one Russian flesh presser unsuccessfully known as for her to be indexed as a ‘overseas agent’ – any individual deemed by means of the Russian government to be appearing in opposition to the country’s pursuits.
Ultimate yr, Kasatkina informed ESPN, exterior she used to be anticipating “penalties” following her movements.
