The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) forced Ukrainian tennis player Oleksandra Oliynykova to remove a patch during her performance at Roland Garros 2026. The athlete stated this on Instagram, reports UNN.
I am currently at Roland Garros, and due to formal requirements, I was forced to remove a patch during the match that was given to me by my father's brothers-in-arms. These people are currently fighting for a independent Europe and standing shoulder to shoulder, repelling Russian aggression together with our Ukrainian heroes,
She stated that despite the ban on its use during the match, the symbol remains extremely important to her.
But I want everyone to know that this place... it is reserved for this patch, which holds immense significance. And during the match, it is right here, in my pocket, and it is always with me. So once again, a big thank you. And I want you to know that despite this requirement, the meaning and the strength remain,
The patch in question belongs to the Kastuś Kalinoŭski Regiment, which was created in March 2022 to defend Ukraine. The regiment is formed from members of the "Belarus" tactical group, participants of the "White Legion" and the "Young Front," as well as other Belarusians who were not previously part of these formations.
In the comments under the post, the athlete was supported by the Kastuś Kalinoŭski Regiment, which wrote: "Dzyakuyem" (Thank you), as well as Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the head of the United Transitional Cabinet of the Belarusian democratic opposition.
"Dzyakuy vyaliki" (Thank you very much), - Tsikhanouskaya wrote.
As a reminder
Tennis players Elina Svitolina, Marta Kostyuk, and Yuliia Starodubtseva secured victories at the tournament in France and advanced to the third round of the super tournament in Paris. However, Daria Snigur concluded her performance at the tournament in France, losing to American Peyton Stearns.