Furious Russian tennis star condemns ‘Nazism’ as she’s barred from boarding a Polish passenger jet

A glamorous Russian tennis player has denounced ‘Nazism’ after she was denied boarding a Polish airliner and forced to sleep on benches at Cairo airport.

Poland’s flag carrier LOT confirmed on Tuesday that it had not allowed Vitalia Diatchenko to board, citing restrictions introduced by Poland’s Interior Ministry during the COVID-19 pandemic and updated in 2022 after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Diatchenko was on his way from Cairo to a tournament in Corsica, via Warsaw and Nice, and wanted to change trains in Poland.

But the 32-year-old was told she would not be able to board because she is Russian.

Diatchenko said she then tried to buy a ticket from Lufthansa but was told she could only enter the Schengen zone through Spain because it had issued her visa.

Pictured: Vitalia Diatchenko of Russia in action against Katie Volynets of the USA in qualifying at the Viking Classic Birmingham at Edgbaston Priory Club on June 12, 2021

Vitalia Diatchenko took to social media to express her anger over the incident

As a result of the ordeal, Diatchenko was forced to spend hours at the Cairo airport without food or accommodation, sleeping on sofas.

“The provisions of the regulation introduce restrictions at certain border crossings, including airport crossings, regarding citizens of the Russian Federation traveling from outside the Schengen area,” LOT said in an emailed statement.

A spokesman for Warsaw Airport said: “We could not allow a citizen of the Russian Federation to board in accordance with a decree of the Minister of the Interior dated March 13, 2020, which temporarily suspends passage through certain border crossings, including air terminals or limited. , for Russian citizens.’

On Instagram Stories, Diatchenko, who is currently 250th in the WTA ranking, wrote: “I was refused by Lott airlines to fly to a tournament in Corsica, from Cairo – Warsaw – Nice, because I am the owner of a Russian passport. Airline rules – suddenly do not allow a Russian to fly with Lott Airlines!

‘Does it really help to improve the situation for peace???. I had all the letters of support from WTA, ITF, but in modern tennis this doesn’t really seem to make any difference. I received letters of support from my father, who was originally born in Ukraine and works for the United Nations. This letter says I’m his daughter (airlines policy allows relatives of people with diplomatic passports to fly) but all the airlines are now suddenly refusing these documents because of your country of birth.’

She continued, “When I traveled to Europe as a Russian citizen, I was only given 14 days! visa (usually as an athlete I get 2/3 years). This visa also had to go through Spain, as they were the only country that would issue this visa.

“That’s why I have to fly through Spain, so other borders, like the one for my tournament, won’t let me fly, except through Spain. In reality, this means four flights instead of two! End of the story, slept at the airport, treated like a third class citizen, spent a few thousand euros, now no possibility to make it to the tournament as no route due to airlines not carrying Russians and the restricted visa situation.

In the photo: Vitalia Diatchenko in target practice. On Instagram Stories, she wrote, “Does it really help improve the situation for peace???.” I had all the letters of support from WTA, ITF, but in modern tennis this doesn’t really seem to make any difference’

In the photo: Vitalia Diatchenko. As a result of the ordeal, Diatchenko was forced to spend hours at the Cairo airport without food or accommodation, sleeping on sofas.

On Instagram Stories, Diatchenko (pictured) wrote: “I had letters of support from my father, who was originally born in Ukraine and works for the United Nations. This letter saying that I am his daughter (airlines policy allows relatives of people with diplomatic passports to fly) but all the airlines now suddenly refuse these documents because of your country of birth’

On Instagram Stories, Diatchenko wrote: “I was refused by Lott airlines to fly to a tournament in Corsica, from Cairo – Warsaw – Nice, because I am the owner of a Russian passport. Airlines rules – suddenly don’t allow a Russian to fly with Lott airlines!’

Diatchenko (pictured) wrote: ‘When I traveled to Europe as a Russian citizen, I was only given 14 days! visa (usually as an athlete I get 2/3 years). This visa also had to go through Spain, as they were the only country that would issue this visa’

Diatchenko, who is currently 250th in the WTA ranking, is pictured on a tennis court

“In the end I have to withdraw and the only option is to return home and miss another event due to this situation. If a professional athlete playing without any flag and not representing any country is just trying to get on with life and pursue a career that I’ve loved all my life, this is fair to athletes who have no affiliation with any part of the unfortunate situation.

“Hope to be free from politics, racism and Nazism. Only peace and clear skies please!’

The incident provoked angry reactions on social media.

The European Union has banned all flights from Russia and has agreed to limit the issuance of Schengen zone visas for free travel. In September, Finland, together with the Baltic states and Poland, will close its borders to Russian tourists.

Unlike many other sports, tennis did not introduce a blanket ban on players from Russia and its ally Belarus after the invasion of Ukraine.

Wimbledon last year banned players from the two countries after the invasion, which Moscow calls a “special military operation,” but said in March it would now accept them as neutral athletes.

Russian and Belarusian players have competed as neutral athletes in the tours and in the other Grand Slams.

In the photo: Vitalia Diatchenko. “I slept at the airport, was treated like a third-class citizen (because of my nationality), spent a few thousand euros,” Diatchenko wrote.

Diatchenko (pictured) wrote: “If a professional athlete playing without a flag and representing no country is just trying to get on with life and pursue a career that I have loved all my life, this is fair to athletes who have no association with part of the unfortunate situation’