‘Ukrainian Tennis Player Alleges ‘Moral Abuse’ in Lawsuit, Describes the Experience as a ‘Frightening and Otherworldly’ Environment’

Ukrainian tennis star Lesia Tsurenko has submitted a revised lawsuit alleging that the WTA Tour and its chairman, Steve Simon, have breached their contract, acted negligently, and caused her “negligent infliction of emotional distress” due to their treatment of Russian and Belarusian players during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Once ranked among the world’s top 25 players, Tsurenko asserts in her legal filings that WTA officials, including Simon, who was CEO at the time, did not uphold promises made during a meeting with Ukrainian athletes regarding a ban on Russian and Belarusian players who expressed support for the war against Ukraine.

The amended lawsuit, lodged this week in the federal court for the Southern District of New York, points to incidents such as Russian player Veronika Kudermetova sporting a patch for sponsor Taneft, a firm linked to the Russian military and sanctioned by the European Union.

“Despite this commitment,” the lawsuit states, “neither Steve Simon, nor the WTA has banned Russian and Belarusian players who have openly supported the conflict.”

In a statement to The Associated Press this week, the WTA maintained that it has been “steadfast and unequivocal in its condemnation of Russia’s aggression toward Ukraine and the actions of the Russian government against the Ukrainian people.”

“Accordingly, the WTA has taken several initiatives to support our Ukrainian player members, who are facing significant challenges as professional athletes,” the statement continued.

“The WTA has consistently affirmed its foundation on principles of equality and non-discrimination, ensuring that competitions remain open to all women players who qualify based on their performance, without discrimination. In line with these principles and aligning with other tennis bodies, the WTA believes that individual athletes should not be penalised for their governments’ actions.”

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the WTA Tour, ATP Tour, and International Tennis Federation issued a joint declaration allowing Russian and Belarusian players to compete, provided they do so without their national flags.

This policy remains effective, with athletes from both nations competing in last year’s Olympics in Paris as “individual neutral athletes”, where Russian players Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider secured silver in women’s doubles.

Tsurenko’s lawsuit includes claims that she was compelled to withdraw from an event at Indian Wells due to a panic attack stemming from the prospect of playing against Russian or Belarusian players, leading to increased stress levels, loss of focus affecting her game, and emotional distress.

In 2023, Lindsay Brandon, the WTA’s safeguarding director, informed Tsurenko that Simon would be investigated for possible breaches of the organisation’s code of conduct.

However, in October of the same year, Tsurenko was notified that Simon had not breached any rules or provisions of the employee handbook.

Her attempts to appeal this decision were unsuccessful.

“I never imagined in my worst nightmares that the professional tour, which I considered my sanctuary, would turn into a terrifying and alien environment, where the [former] CEO of the organisation would deliberately subject me to moral abuse, resulting in a panic attack and hindering my ability to fulfill my professional duties,” Tsurenko expressed on social media.

The original complaint filed in November requested a jury trial.

The law firm Proskaeur Rose, representing the WTA, submitted a motion last month seeking to dismiss the case, claiming that Tsurenko’s allegations were “legally flawed”.

The WTA has until April 30 to decide whether to proceed with its dismissal motion.

“While the WTA empathises with the considerable difficulties faced by Ms. Tsurenko and our other Ukrainian athletes,” their statement concluded, “we are disheartened that she has chosen to pursue legal action to assign blame to the WTA for her distress.

“At all times, the WTA and its management acted appropriately and in accordance with our regulations, and we are confident in our position as we navigate this litigation.”