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Sexual abuse of younger feminine gamers by older male coaches occurs “proper and left” on the WTA Tour and safeguarding in opposition to it have to be a precedence, in response to former world #1 Victoria Azarenka.
Key factors:
- Azarenka made her remarks after a coach was charged with rape and sexual assault of French participant Fiona Ferro
- The allegations are from when Ferro was an adolescent between 2012 and 2015
- Combating abuse is the “high precedence” of the WTA gamers council, Azarenka mentioned
Azarenka’s remarks to reporters on the US Open got here after coach Pierre Bouteyre was charged in France final week with raping and sexually assaulting French participant Fiona Ferro.
The allegations are from when Ferro was an adolescent, and within the time interval between 2012 and 2015.
Bouteyre’s lawyer informed French media {that a} relationship had occurred however denied any coercion, with 50-year-old Bouteyre describing the connection as “a real love story”.
However Ferro wrote on social media about her accusation in opposition to Bouteyre and mentioned, “I didn’t consent.”
The French Tennis Federation mentioned in an announcement that it was “standing by Ferro within the proceedings she has initiated in opposition to her former coach, Pierre Bouteyre”.
Two-time US Open champion Azarenka, who sits on the eight-person WTA gamers council, mentioned that combating abuse was the group’s high precedence.
“We see these weak younger women that [are] getting taken benefit of in numerous conditions,” she mentioned.
“It is actually unhappy and actually makes me emotional,” she mentioned.
“If I had a daughter, I might have a query ought to she wish to play tennis, that will be a really large concern in that approach for me.”
Azarenka, who reached the event’s fourth spherical on Saturday, applauded Ferro for her bravery in talking out, as did 21-time WTA title winner, Pam Shriver, who provided “my greatest help” on Twitter.
Ferro, 25, received two WTA titles and reached a excessive of world quantity 39 final 12 months, however is at the moment ranked 259 and misplaced throughout event qualifiers final week.
“I hope this case she’s going to come back out of it stronger and tennis shouldn’t be ruined for her due to that,” Azarenka mentioned.
Azarenka implored journalists on the information convention to do their half to show abuse: “Do the analysis, assist folks to open up extra. Hopefully, one-by-one, attempt to remove these sorts of conditions,” she mentioned.
Czech Karolina Pliskova, one other former world primary, was not sure if the ladies’s tennis physique may assist, saying she felt it was the duty of oldsters to make sure that the abuse of gamers doesn’t occur.
Present world primary, Iga Swiatek, 21, mentioned she had by no means confronted such a scenario and was protecting the religion within the WTA.
“I hope that if one thing like that occurs, we will form of be protected and have belief in WTA that they will handle these things correctly,” the two-time French Open champion mentioned.
“I am certain they’re doing that.”
Wires/ABC
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