Ukrainian tennis star Sergiy Stakhovsky has declared he hopes not to have to use a gun after enlisting to help defend his country from the Russian invasion.
Stakhovsky, who reached a career-high ranking of 31 in 2010, is the latest sportsperson to defend his country after three-weight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko was photographed with a weapon - and world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk is also rumoured to have signed up.
Photographs on Instagram - from an unverified Ukraine Boxing Federation account - claim to show the 35-year-old holding a weapon. Men between the ages of 18 and 60 have been ordered to stay in the country and fight as the Ukrainian government looks to slow Russia's attacks.
Stakhovsky told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: “I know how to use the gun. If I'll have to, I'll have to.”
The 36-year-old, who defeated Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2013, retired from tennis after the recent Australian Open won by Rafael Nadal and has since returned to help his nation’s defence.
“I pretty much hope that I won't have to use the gun,” Stakhovsky, who revealed his ‘horrible’ decision to leave his wife and children at home, added.
“I’m still not sure how I've done it.
“I know that it's extremely hard on my wife. My kids don't know that I'm here. They don't understand war. They're too little to understand what's going on."
Remarkably, Lomachenko and Usyk are the latest in a long line of boxers to take up arms to defend Ukraine following Russia ’s invasion, which began last Thursday. Heavyweight legend Vitali Klitschko is the current Mayor of Kyiv, and he revealed he will serve Ukraine in war.
The 50-year-old’s younger brother Wladimir has also signed up as reserve for the territorial forces to defend the city of Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital. The Klitschko brothers have both called on the world to help and support Ukraine during the ongoing conflict.
Sporting organisations are also continuing to impose sanctions on Russia where possible, with Russian football clubs and national teams suspended from competitions by FIFA and UEFA for the foreseeable future.
The Russian men's team will not play their World Cup play-off matches next month and the women's team have been banned from this summer's Euro 2022 competition, while Spartak Moscow have been kicked out of the Europa League.
UEFA has also ended its sponsorship with Russian energy giant Gazprom.
The International Olympic Committee has urged sport governing bodies to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes.
After Ukrainian world number 15 Elina Svitolina said she will refuse to play Russian or Belarusian players until they are classed as 'neutral athletes’, the Ukrainian Tennis Federation has called on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to expel Russia and Belarus from the organisation and ban Russia from individual and team tournaments.
Stakhovsky believes these moves will make a difference to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“He really loves sport and loves that Russia is successful in sport. He loves that he can demonstrate that success out in the world during the Olympics and all the other sport events,” added Stakhovsky.
