Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk condemned the International Olympic Committee's provisional lifting of the Russian Olympic Committee's suspension as a "terrible" move and "very, very far from fair play for all the countries involved," not just Ukraine [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. The IOC lifted the suspension on July 7, 2026. It had been in place since October 2023, imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].

Kostyuk, 24, reached the Wimbledon semifinal on July 8 after defeating Italy's Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-2 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Despite the IOC’s decision, she said she would focus on her tennis goals and intends to "beat every single Russian I play in the Olympics" [1]. She acknowledged the decision did not sit well with many, stating, "I 100% don't agree with this decision. But I feel like a lot of people spoke out on this issue. They obviously don't agree, as well" [1].

Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev welcomed the ruling as a step ‘‘to clear the way for Russian athletes to make a full return to the international sporting stage’’ [1, 2, 3]. The IOC's recommendation includes ending the neutral athlete status on tennis tours and allowing Russians to compete under their flag at the 2028 Olympics, though Russian flags and anthems would still be excluded [4, 5].

Kostyuk has struggled with the ongoing war in Ukraine and its impact. Russian missile strikes destroyed residential buildings about 5 km from her parents' home in Kyiv in early July 2026, which she described as "really tough" [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. She said, "It was like 5 km away from where my parents live. Again, another difficult night and a lot of dead people, innocent people, kids. It's not easy... Every day is different. I cope with it as it goes" [1].

Ukrainian players including Kostyuk have boycotted handshakes with Russian and Belarusian opponents on the tennis circuit and have been outspoken against Russia's presence on tour [4, 5].

After Wimbledon, Kostyuk said she may participate in discussions with the Ukrainian government, her team, and other female players during the US hard court season to address possible responses to the IOC's decision [1, 2, 3, 4].