Why Doesn’t Aryna Sabalenka Have a Flag Next to Her Name?

Aryna Sabalenka competes without a Belarusian flag next to her name because tennis governing bodies require players from Belarus and Russia to compete as neutral athletes following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The four-time Grand Slam champion was born in Minsk, Belarus, in 1998, but her nationality has not been displayed alongside her name at international tennis tournaments since the sanctions were introduced. Sabalenka can continue competing as an individual, but without the national symbols associated with Belarus.

Why does Aryna Sabalenka play without a flag?

The change dates back to February 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine with support from Belarus.

The International Tennis Federation suspended Russia and Belarus from its membership and international team competitions shortly afterwards. Individual players from the two countries, however, were allowed to continue competing, provided they did not compete under their national names or flags.

That policy meant Sabalenka could remain on the WTA Tour but would no longer be represented as a Belarusian athlete in tournament graphics and scoreboards.

The arrangement has remained in place more than four years later.

What does Aryna Sabalenka’s neutral status mean?

Sabalenka’s neutral status extends beyond the missing flag beside her name.

Players from Russia and Belarus competing under the current rules do not have their national anthems played when they win tournaments. National symbols are also excluded from their tournament representation.

The policy is designed to separate individual athletes from official state representation while allowing them to continue competing professionally.

Wimbledon initially went further in 2022, banning Russian and Belarusian players from the Championships altogether. The All England Club reversed that decision the following year and allowed them to return under neutral conditions.

What has Aryna Sabalenka said about playing without a flag?

Sabalenka has expressed frustration about the continued involvement of politics in sport.

Speaking in 2025, she said she found it “really sad” that sport had become connected to politics and argued that sport should provide an escape from difficult circumstances.

Her position has also been scrutinised because of her past association with Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko.

During the 2023 French Open, Sabalenka was questioned about photographs of her meeting Lukashenko and whether she supported him. She initially said she did not support the war or Lukashenko “right now”, before later giving a stronger condemnation of the conflict.

She subsequently made clear at Wimbledon that she did not want to discuss politics and preferred to focus on tennis.

Why are Belarusian and Russian players competing as neutrals?

The neutral-athlete policy was introduced as part of sporting sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Belarus’ involvement in the conflict.

Under the tennis governing bodies’ framework, players can still compete individually, but they cannot represent Russia or Belarus through flags, national team designations or other official symbols.

For Sabalenka, that means her achievements are recorded without the Belarusian flag that would ordinarily accompany a player’s name.

Despite the restrictions, she remains one of the leading players on the WTA Tour and has won four Grand Slam singles titles while competing under neutral status.