War in Ukraine: Sports stars show support for their country
Ukrainian footballer Roman Yaremchuk displaying the Ukrainian Tryzub on a t-shirt, after scoring for Benfica against Ajax Amsterdam in the Champions League.
Getty Images - Gualter Fatia
Text by: David Kalfa Follow
2 mins
Former football superstar and Ballon d'Or Andrei Shevchenko, former world heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, tennis player Elina Svitolina, Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling champion Zhan Beleniuk… All displayed their support for their country, Ukraine, the target of a large-scale military operation by Russia since February 24, 2022.
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Images of footballer Roman Yaremchuk went around the world on February 23, 2022. The Ukrainian striker took off his shirt after equalizing 2-2 for Portuguese club Benfica Lisbon against Ajax Amsterdam in the Champions League.
Underneath, he wore a t-shirt with a trident, one of the symbols of
Ukraine
, as a sign of support for his country.
For several days, tennis player Elina Svitolina, married to Frenchman Gaël Monfils, has been showing her support for her country on social networks with the hashtag #StandWithUkraine.
This Wednesday, she wrote: “
I am proud to be Ukrainian.
We stand together at this extremely difficult time for the sake of peace and the future of our State.
Glory to Ukraine.
»
A sentiment shared by ex-football superstar and Ballon d'Or Andriy Shevchenko.
“
We have been through many difficult times and over the past 30 years we have formed as a nation
,” he commented on Instagram.
A nation of sincere, hard-working, freedom-loving citizens!
This is our most important asset!
Today is a difficult time for all of us.
But we must unite!
»
"
Let history become a lesson so that it does not repeat itself
"
The Olympic champion of Greco-Roman wrestling Zhan Vensanovych Beleniuk, whose mother is Rwandan, meanwhile displayed his serenity.
“
It must be understood that panic is the main “weapon” which is currently playing against us,
assured the one who is a deputy.
The situation is really difficult, but it is completely controlled by the authorities and our military.
We believe in our country!
We believe in our armed forces!
»
More universalist, the former world boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, whose brother Vitaly is the mayor of Kiev, says: "The
world sees how reckless and murderous imperialism is, not only for Ukraine, but for the whole world too.
Let history become a lesson so that it does not repeat itself.
»
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