The USTA sucks!!
I was born in England right after WW2. Both parents were there fighting Hitler; ready to give their lives if necessary. But, lucky for the world, Hitler was vanquished. Shortly afterward I left England in my Mother’s arms to join my Father in Canada; where we stayed for a few years before (legally) immigrating to the US.
As I’ve been watching Wimbledon these past couple of weeks I couldn’t help but feel great pride in my birth country. Their banning of Russian athletes from competing on one of the most powerful world stages spoke volume about their resolve and fortitude to stand with Ukrainians and against Putin and his war-crime-level atrocities in their country. It was pleasing to see one of the world biggest sporting events put justice and truth ahead of money and misguided-tradition. It will forever spotlight this historical moment with the asterisk that “no Russians were allowed to compete” this year because Russia has committed and continues to commit such gross atrocities.
So why my title? It’s simple. The USTA sucks because they lack the civil sensibilities that Wimbledon so proudly portrayed. You see, the USTA plans to let Russian athletes compete in the US freakin’ OPEN. They don’t mind giving their stage to people who represent the baby killers and civilian murderers of Putin’s Russia. There excuse? Well, they don’t think that Russian athletes should be held accountable for the actions of their country. BULLSHIT! You can question their election validity if you like, but the Russian people elected Putin…. repeatedly…and gave him the keys to their nuclear arsenal. So this is all on them, every one of them. Including Russia's athletes! This is not a shades of gray situation! There are only two sides. There is no fence to sit on or middle-ground to huddle in. Russians are doing this and until they stop they should not be given even a tiny moment of potential national pride on any of the stages of the free world. The USOPEN, not just included, but in particular. In doing so the USTA, and their sponsors, are complicit, and must therefore also be held accountable for their part in the Russian atrocities in Ukraine.
If you disagree…fine, it’s a free country.
If you agree let the USTA and their sponsors know. You can easily find all of them in the web and on social media. Tell them that in allowing Russian athletes to compete at the USOPEN is the same as endorsing Putin and his war crimes. There is no middle ground for them to hide in!
