Ukrainian basketball player Kateryna Koval left LSU's women's basketball program because her team signed a Russian player. NBC News reports this, according to UNN.
Details
Kateryna Koval explained her departure by saying that the arrival of a Russian player on LSU's roster had a personal impact on her and made her question whether the team remained the right place for her.
The timing of this situation and its profound personal impact on me, my family, and those we care about who continue to endure and fight in this war ultimately made me question whether LSU remains the right place for me. This decision was not an easy one. While I understand and respect that decisions regarding a team's roster are part of college basketball, I must remain true to myself, my values, and my country
Last week, LSU coach Kim Mulkey announced that Koval had left the team for "personal reasons" after one season in Baton Rouge.
It was believed that 20-year-old Koval declined the contract in protest against LSU signing Russian center Anna Minaeva, who is 195 cm tall and had previously played professionally for Moscow's "MBA"
The basketball player also said that she was proud of her father, who serves in the Ukrainian army.
My father serves in the Ukrainian army and is extremely proud to defend his country against Russian aggression. For me, this war is not something distant or abstract. People close to me have been killed and wounded as a result of Russian attacks, and the places where I grew up and first began playing basketball were destroyed by missile strikes
In addition, she added that she enjoyed the time she spent in Baton Rouge, but the addition of a Russian player to LSU's roster made the situation unacceptable for her.
Recall
Elina Svitolina defeated Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova in the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 tournament in Toronto, 3:6, 6:0, 6:3. The Ukrainian advanced to the tournament's semifinals.