'Beat every single Russian' - Ukrainian semifinalist at Wimbledon condemns IOC ruling on Russia

Ukrainian tennis star Marta Kostiuk on July 8 condemned the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to provisionally lift the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), calling the move "terrible."

Kostiuk spoke to reporters just after becoming the second Ukrainian woman ever to advance to the semifinals at Wimbledon. The previous day, the IOC's Executive Board lifted the ban on Russia that been in place since October 2023.

"My thoughts are that it's terrible," Kostiuk said of the IOC ruling, according to ESPN.

"I think it's very, very far from fair play for all the countries involved here, not just for Ukraine. I 100% don't agree with this decision. ... I just want to go out there and hopefully beat every single Russian I play in the Olympics."

Russian and Belarusian athletes have competed as "neutral" players in international sports tournaments, including the Olympic Games, since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

In their recent decision, the IOC recommended the neutral status be removed for athletes in individual sports, paving the way for Russian flags to fly at the Games once again.

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Kostiuk told the press that it was difficult to focus on tennis while competing at Wimbledon amid Russia's recent ballistic missile blitz against Kyiv.

"It's not easy to disconnect entirely," she said.

"It was really tough for me last week when the first big attack happened. Then on Monday they ruined like four streets of residential buildings. It was like 5 kilometers away from where my parents live. Again, another difficult night and a lot of dead people, innocent people, kids. It's not easy."

Kostiuk, 24, has previously used her platform as an athlete to draw international attention to Russia's attacks against Ukraine. A native of Kyiv, she has spoken about the difficulties her family members back home face due to the full-scale war.

Kostiuk is the second Ukrainian woman to reach the Wimbledon semifinals after Elina Svitolina, who did so in 2019 and 2023. No Russian singles players remain in the current Wimbledon tournament.

International sports bodies have gradually eased some restrictions on Russian athletes since the start of Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, although participation in many competitions remains subject to neutral status or sport-specific rules.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russian athletic officials and organizations of using "sports venues to spread anti-Ukrainian narratives and Russian propaganda."

Many of the so-called "neutral" athletes from Russia and Belarus who participate in international sports competitions have ties to the Kremlin or have expressed support for the war against Ukraine.

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