Ukrainian tennis player Tsurenko sues WTA and his chairman for causing emotional distress

New York, April 18 (AP) The Ukrainian tennis player Lesia Tsurenko has filed a amended lawsuit accusing WTA tour and his chairman, Steve Simon, of a breach of contract, negligence and the ‘negligent onslaught of emotional distress’ because of the way it handled the Russian and Belo -Rusic players. Tsurenko, who was once one of the world’s top -25, claims in the lawsuit that the WTA executives – including Simon, who was the CEO at the time – failed to follow the insurance in a meeting with the Ukrainian players that the organization would ban Russian or Belussian players who supported the war with Ukraine. The amended lawsuit, filed in the Federal Court for the Southern District of New York on Tuesday, cited examples such as Russian player Veronika Kudermetova carrying a patch at the French Open for Sponsor Taneft, a subsidiary of a company sanctioned by the European Union to help the Russian army. “Despite this promise,” Tsurenko’s lawsuit claims, “neither defendant Steve Simon nor defendant Wta Russian and Belo -Russia players who publicly supported the war in public.” The WTA said in a statement to The Associated Press on Wednesday that it was “steadfast and clear in the condemnation of Russia’s war against Ukraine and the actions of the Russian government against the Ukrainian population.” “In accordance with our position,” the statement says, “the WTA took numerous steps to help our Ukrainian players, who faced great challenges as professional athletes. The WTA was equally clear that it is based on principles of equality and non-discrimination and that the competitions are open to all women who are eligible on their merit, and without discrimination. Organizations, the WTA took the position that individual athletes should not be penalized for the actions of their governments. “Shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the WTA tour, ATP tour and the International Tennis Federation issued a joint statement stating that the Russian and Belo-Russian athletes would be allowed to compete as long as they were in place. Olympics in Paris participated as ‘individual neutral athletes’; Tension, concentration loss developed that felt her performance at tennis matches, deaths and injuries to her. ” Lindsay Brandon, the WTA director of protection, informed Tsurenko in 2023 that Simon would be investigated for violating his code of conduct. considered, a scary and alien place, where the (former) CEO of the organization consciously committed an act of moral abuse against me, which led to a panic attack and my inability to do my job, ‘Tsurenko wrote on social media on Tuesday. WTA represented, filed a motion last month to reject the case on the grounds that Tsurenko’s claims were “legally defective”. The WTA has until April 30 to decide whether it will continue with its motion to discharge. ‘While the WTA has the greatest sympathy for the important challenges with which Ms. Tsurenko and our other Ukrainian athletes were facing, “the statement said Wednesday,” we are disappointed that she has decided to go to the right to hold the WTA responsible for her need. At all times, the WTA and its management in the right way. “(AP) APA APA first published: 18 Apr 2025, 09:29 AM IST