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Fan asked to remove Ukraine flag at Cincinnati Open, officials clarify

A fan was asked to remove the flag of Ukraine during a match at Cincinnati Open 2022 following a complaint from a Russian tennis player. The authorities have now issued a statement clarifying the matter.

TN Sports Desk

Updated Aug 16, 2022, 09:50 IST

A fan was asked to remove the Ukraine flag at Cincinnati Open | Video Grab

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

A fan had draped herself in Ukraine flag during a Cincinnati Open match.
Following a complaint from a Russian athlete, the fan was asked to remove the flag.
The incident triggered a controversy, prompting the authorities to issue clarification.

A controversy erupted from the ongoing Cincinnati Open in the United States of America after a fan was asked to remove the national flag of Ukraine. The incident took place during a qualifying match between Russian players Anna Kalinskaya and Anastasia Potapova. A fan had draped herself in the Ukriane flag. But, she was asked to remove it by the officials.

Not long after, the video of the incident was shared on social media and it didn't take long for it to go viral. In the video, chair umpire Morgane Lara could be seen speaking to the fan. Post the conversation, the fan left the court. She was later reportedly approached by the head of security too, who informed her the flag was above the allowed size.

However, it has also been reported that the fan was asked to remove the flag only after a Russian player complained to the umpire. Many fans hit out at the authorities for making the fan remove the flag.

Issuing a clarification, a spokesperson for the tournament said: “Per the Western & Southern Open’s bag policy, as stated on the tournament’s website, flags or banners larger than 18 x 18 are prohibited. Therefore, the patron was asked to remove the flag from the grounds and after doing so was allowed to remain at the tournament.

“Any inquiries about the chair umpire should be directed to the WTA Tour,” the statement further said. As of now, the WTA Tour hasn't reacted to the incident.

Russia and Ukraine have been engaged in a war ever since Vladamir Putin decided to invade the European country. Even today, no resolution to the conflict has been found.

Earlier, Russian athletes were also banned from participating in certain sporting events. However, Russian tennis players will be allowed to participate in the upcoming US Open 2022.

The US Open will organise a campaign for humanitarian aid for Ukraine with the target of raising $2 million in relief, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) had confirmed last week.

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