Russian and Belarusian flags banned from Australian Open after ‘very insensitive’ act

(Image: Ukrainian Kateryna Baindl and Russian Kamilla Rakhimova – Mackenzie Sweetnam/Getty Images)

Tennis Australia has banned Russian and Belarusian flags from the Australian Open after a Russian flag was flown at a Ukrainian tennis player’s match at the Australian Open on Monday.

“Our initial policy was that fans could bring them in but could not use them to cause disruption. Yesterday we had an incident where a flag was placed courtside,” a Tennis Australia statement announcing the ban read.

Press PLAY below to hear 3AW’s Shane McInnes breaking the story on 3AW Mornings

The flag ban comes after Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, urged Tennis Australia to take swift action after the flag was flown by spectators during the first-round match between Ukraine’s Kateryna Baindl and Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova.

I strongly condemn the public display of the Russian flag during the game of the Ukrainian tennis player Kateryna Baindl at the Australian Open today. I call on Tennis Australia to immediately enforce its “neutral flag” policy. @TennisAustralia @AustralianOpen pic.twitter.com/zw8pLN4FIF

— Vasyl Myroshnychenko (@AmbVasyl) January 16, 2023

Chairman of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations, Stefan Romaniv, says the flying of the Russian flag by spectators was “very insensitive”.

“They have a flag neutral policy … but that must relate to people bringing in the Russian flag,” he told Neil Mitchell.

“Imagine those 5000 or 6000 Ukrainians who are here, who have just fled Ukraine, who couldn’t spend Christmas with their parents, their friends,” Mr Romaniv said.

“You’ve got a Ukrainian playing and you’ve got these guys sitting behind with a Russian flag and no one says anything.

“It’s embarrassing.”

Press PLAY below to hear Mr Romaniv’s urgent message to Tennis Australia