An 18-year-old Russian tennis player posted a symbol of Russia's aggression against Ukraine on Instagram
Russian tennis player Alina Korneeva, who competes internationally under neutral status, has found herself at the center of a major scandal over the publication of banned symbols.
The 18-year-old athlete openly demonstrated her support for the aggressor country’s military propaganda on her social media page.
On May 9, 2026, Korneeva posted an image of Russian military symbolism—the so-called “St. George’s Ribbon”—in her Instagram Stories.
This symbol is officially banned in many European countries and has been associated exclusively with the occupation of Ukrainian territories for over a decade.
It is worth noting that such actions constitute a direct violation of international conduct standards for athletes from the Russian Federation.
The ban on its use is also mentioned in the IOC’s recommendations regarding neutral athletes, which calls into question the tennis player’s continued participation in major tournaments.
Kornieva is currently ranked 122nd in the WTA rankings and is considered one of the most promising young players in her country.
However, displaying support for the “St. George’s Ribbon,” which has become a symbol of Russian aggression against Ukraine, could lead to serious disciplinary sanctions from sports authorities.
The Ukrainian sports community has already called on the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to respond immediately to this incident.
Luzan won her second gold medal at the Rowing World Cup with a record time
Svitolina confidently advanced to the fourth round of the WTA 1000 tournament in Rome
Yaroslav Amosov scored a brilliant victory with a chokehold at UFC 328
