'Absolutely Shouldn't Mix': Badosa Gives Verdict On Sports & Politics Mixing
WTA
Paula Badosa, former world No.2, insists that sports and politics should remain separate amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine.
In light of the Ukraine war, the tennis world has been grappling with the blending of sports and politics. Notably, Russian and Belarussian players are only allowed to compete as neutral athletes due to the conflict, and their countries are currently suspended from all team events.
Last year, Wimbledon banned these players from participating, but this ban has since been reversed with certain conditions. Amidst these developments, Paula Badosa has expressed her unwavering stance that sports and politics should not mix.
The 25-year-old Badosa, ranked 42nd in the world, shared her thoughts on the matter during an interview with Glamour. She expressed her disappointment in the prevalence of politics on the WTA Tour, saying:
"Absolutely, they shouldn’t mix. Unfortunately, they have been involved, but I will never understand it. In the end, sports and politics have nothing to do with each other and it is a shame that there is so much mixing between players."
"We don’t know what’s out there, there are many opinions and we don’t know 100% everything either, nor will we know. In my case, I prefer to be apart and dedicate myself to mine. Politicians play politicians and athletes play athletes."
The Spanish player also talked about how demanding it is to compete on the WTA Tour as the tennis season is probably longer than in any other sport in the world, stretching all the way from January until November.
"The tennis circuit is one of the most intense there is. You start the year in January, in Australia, and you finish it in November, in Japan, having travelled through all the continents. It gets very intense. The good thing is that I am doing what I like, which in the end is a passion. But it is still mentally very demanding."
