Serena and Venus Williams has accomplished a lot in the tennis world and that obviously should earn them massive amounts of respect but unfortunately, that’s not the case here.
The sisters were the subject to unnecessary insult last week when Russian Tennis Federation President and member of the International Olympic Committee Shamil Tarpischev made both sexist and racist comments about the tennis titan son television .
During a late-night TV show appearance, the official referred to the sisters as the “Williams brothers” and “frightening to look at.”
Though Tarpischev claimed he was only joking, Serena didn’t find it funny.
One would have expected the sisters to ignore but always expect the un expected too. I think a lot of people weren’t happy as well.
The Women’s Tennis Association took immediate action and as a result, Tarpischev was suspended for one year and levied a $25,000 fine, the maximum allowed. WTA Tour chairman and CEO Stacey Allaster said in a statement:
The statements made by Shamil Tarpischev on Russian television with respect to two of the greatest athletes in the history of women’s tennis are insulting, demeaning and have absolutely no place in our sport.
Mr. Tarpischev’s statements questioning their genders tarnish our great game and two of our champions. His derogatory remarks deserve to be condemned and he will be sanctioned.
Tarpischev also issued a semi-apology while saying that his words were taken out of context, once translated:
I am sorry that the joke which was translated into English out of its context of a comedy show drew so much attention. I don’t think this situation is worth all the hoopla because those words were said without any malice.