At French Open, Ukraine war shatters myth of sport as an apolitical bubble

Ukraine's Elina Svitolina has refused to shake hands with opponents from Russia and Belarus over the war raging in her home country. © Anne-Christine Poujoulat, AFP

From the war raging in Ukraine to the unrest in Kosovo, geopolitical crises have cast a pall over the Grand Slam tournament in Paris, challenging conventions and shattering the notion that sport and politics can be kept apart.

For the second year running, sport’s troubled relationship with politics has been a fiercely divisive subject at Roland Garros, heightening scrutiny of players’ behaviour on and off the court, as well as fans’ reactions from the stands.