Ukraine's Sergiy Stakhovsky teases war documentary, slams IOC for wanting Russians & Belarusians to compete at Paris 2024 Olympics

While releasing a teaser of a war documentary, former Ukrainian player Sergiy Stakhovsky criticized the International Olympic Committee for considering allowing Russian and Belarusian tennis players to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Turning pro in 2003, Stakhovsky retired from professional tennis after failing to qualify for the main draw of the 2022 Australian Open. He, along with his family, moved to Budapest (Hungary) in 2014. Immediately after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the 37-year-old returned to his homeland and joined the Ukrainian Army to fight the enemy.

While a final decision is yet to be made, earlier this year, the IOC referred to a 'unifying mission' to state that Russian and Belarusian athletes should not be discriminated against just because of their passports and should be allowed to compete under a neutral flag.

Stakhovsky took to social media to accuse the IOC of being immoral and unfair as he called for a complete boycott of the Russian athletes.

"IOC recommends a plan for russian and belarusian athletes to compete @Paris2024… the only question is how much ? How much a human life cost to IOC? How much morality and fairness cost? A teaser for a documentary directed by Gabriel Veras. #BoycottRussianSport," Stakhovsky tweeted.

In the teaser, the former World No. 31 can be heard saying that the majority of Russian athletes were supporting the war, which made it impossible for the Ukrainian athletes to stand next to them at any event.

"It's an absolute spit in the face of all the Ukrainian athletes. It's a mental punishment for the Ukrainian athletes to be in the same line with Russians because predominantly, 99% of Russians support this war, support the killing of Ukrainians."

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Sergiy Stakhovsky hopes Wimbledon bans Russians and Belarusians again this year

Sergiy Stakhovsky and Olga Savchuk at the 2022 US Open

After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the AELTC (All England Lawn Tennis Club) banned Russian and Belarusian players from participating in the Wimbledon Championships. It forced the ATP and WTA to cancel ranking points at the event and impose a fine of £1.4 million.

Last month, Sergiy Stakhovsky called Wimbledon a special tournament and hoped for the AELTC to continue barring Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing this year as well.

"Nothing has changed in a significant way to allow them to compete," Sergiy Stakhovsky said. "Unfortunately, Wimbledon didn’t find any support in any of the other Slams but I guess that is what makes Wimbledon special. It was never about the money. Wimbledon is about different values and they always stood out."

Stakhovsky once also remarked that he hoped to be fully armed in case he ever met Russian president Vladimir Putin.