Yuri Sapronov was removed from commentating on the match because he spoke Russian. /p>
A language scandal broke out during a live broadcast of a match between the tennis teams of Ukraine and Romania as part of the Billie Jean King Cup qualifications. Kharkov businessman and philanthropist Yuri Sapronov was taken off the air because he spoke Russian.
Sapronov, who is one of the most famous Ukrainian tennis philanthropists (including investing in the career of the first racket of Ukraine Elina Svitolina – approx.), was invited as an expert and commentator to the studio of the Setanta Sports channel.
At the beginning of the broadcast Yuri apologized for speaking in Russian, because he cannot speak Ukrainian fluently. He also noted that he is studying the Ukrainian language, but has not yet achieved much success in this.
Sapronov spoke Russian in the pre-match studio and while commentating on the match between Svetolina and Romanian Jacqueline Christian. This caused outrage among a considerable number of viewers watching the broadcast. They expressed their dissatisfaction in the comments on the YouTube channel, and then Yuri mysteriously disappeared from the air in the middle of the match.
Later, Sapronov published a post on his Facebook page in which he publicly criticized the management of Setanta Sports, which ordered him to leave the studio due to the fact that he spoke on air in Russian.
“Received gratitude. For my significant contribution over 26 years to Ukrainian tennis. Tonight I was expelled from the studio of the Setanta Sports channel after the 1st set of the match of the Ukrainian national team against the Romanian national team at the unofficial world team tennis championship Billie Jean King Cup. Played by Elina Svitolina and Jacqueline Christian.
The match was broadcast by the Setanta TV channel (hundreds of thousands of viewers with a subscription of 70 hryvnia per month) and 2,400 people watched it for free on YouTube. nicknames.
I counted: 15-20 people high-fived me in the YouTube chat because I was not commenting in Ukrainian. At the beginning of the broadcast and during it, I explained three times in my still not very good Ukrainian language, but in detail, why I would comment in Russian.
After the first set, a call came from the owners of Setanta to the editor of the program with instructions to remove me from broadcast.
I’ve been in tennis for a long time. Since 1998. I think I have something to be proud of. There is something to tell, show, share experience and knowledge with people. Free, of course.
If very briefly, then:
1. In Kharkov, I built 24 tennis courts with my own money.
2. For my money, 5 matches of the Ukrainian national team in the Fed Cup and one Davis Cup match were held in Kharkov.
3. For my money, the Ukrainian national team played CF matches in Bulgaria, Australia, Argentina, Italy.
4. For my money (I was responsible for women’s tennis in the country from 2006 to 2011), the Ukrainian national team rose from 35th place in the world ranking to 6th. Until now, this result has not been repeated by any Ukrainian team in any type of team sport.
5. More than 100 children have been training in my private sports school for 17 years.
6. Elina Svitolina.
When she was 13 years old, I signed a 7-year sponsorship contract with her, and she moved from Odessa to train in Kharkov. Later we extended the contract with her for another 5 years. In my opinion, there is something to be proud of. This is not a business. This is philanthropy. All of the above cost me more than $10 million.
I was invited to commentate on tennis. You called me, I didn’t call you. I am not a civil servant or a deputy. Now a Kharkov volunteer from the first day of the active phase of the war against the Nazis. From February 24, 2022 to the present, I am in Kharkov. I don’t understand, you, Setanta, needed me, Yuri Sapronov with my tennis history (above), experience, or something else, as it turned out?
That is, a patriot is only a Ukrainian who speaks Ukrainian? Doesn’t it matter at all what he has done and is doing for Ukraine, Kharkov and tennis in particular? It doesn’t matter at all whether he’s a pro at this or a sucker, but does he speak Ukrainian? Are there two options for a patriot – Ukrainian-speaking and dumb?
Thank you, Ukrainian community. Thank you, Setanta. Yes, fuck you, Setanta owners. Tell me who you are? Let's discuss patriotism. Publicly. Will you have the courage to explain live today that it was not Sapronov who left the air because the curfew began (as rumors fly), but you kicked him out and for what?
P.S. Congratulations to everyone on the excellent performance of Lesya Tsurenko and Elina Svitolina! We are ahead 2:0 after the first day! We're rooting for Ukraine, people!” wrote Sapronov.
After the first day of play, the Ukrainian national team leads with a score of 2:0 in the match duel with Romania. Lesya Tsurenko won their singles matches. (defeated Ana Bogdan) and Elina Svitolina (beat Jacqueline Christian). For the overall victory, the “blue-yellows” only need to win one more match.
Svitolina – Bogdan and Tsurenko – Christian are scheduled for Saturday, April 13. , as well as a doubles match, where Ukraine will be represented by Lyudmila and Nadezhda Kichenok, and Romania by Anca Todoni and Mara Gae.
The winner of the match between Ukraine and Romania will advance to the final round of the Billie Jean King Cup, and the losing team will return to the playoff round.
Note that Ukraine is trying to get into the final part of the Billie Jean King Cup for the third year in a row. In 2022, our tennis players lost to the US team, and in 2023 to the Czech team.
Subscribe to the TSN.ua channels in Telegram and Viber, as well as the TSN.ua and TSN Prosport pages on Facebook.
