MOSCOW, Oct 18 — Russia’s sports minister said today that Russian Tennis Federation chief Shamil Tarpischev may appeal against the one-year ban imposed on him for making derogatory remarks against Serena and Venus Williams.
The ban and fine of US$25,000 (RM81,850) was announced yesterday by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) after Tarpishchev had referred to the tennis greats as the “Williams brothers.”
“The WTA decision to ban him is upsetting,” sports minister Vitaly Mutko was quoted by ITAR-TASS news agency as saying.
“Tarpishchev is an authority in the world of tennis. And I’m very sorry about this incident.
“But we also need to understand whether his words were interpreted correctly and possibly to try to mitigate the WTA verdict.”
Tarpishchev meanwhile refused to make any comments on the case despite calls for him to make a public apology to the sisters.
The WTA sanction followed remarks he made to a Russian television chat show and which were seen as questioning the gender of the Williams sisters.
The WTA chief executive Stacey Allaster issued a statement blasting Tarpishchev’s comments, which according to translations circulated on English-language social media included referring to the US superstars as the “Williams brothers.”
“The statements made by Shamil Tarpischev on Russian television with respect to two of the greatest athletes in the history of women’s tennis are insulting, demeaning and have absolutely no place in our sport,” Allaster said.
Officials of the worldwide women’s tennis tour said that the US$25,000 fine was the maximum allowed under their rules.
They are also seeking his removal as chairman of Moscow’s Kremlin Cup tournament for a year. — AFP
