Poland's state-owned Lot airline has refused to board a Russian tennis player because of sanctions imposed after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the carrier told CNN on Wednesday.
Vitalia Dyatchenko was denied boarding a Lot flight departing Cairo on Monday, heading to Calvi in Corsica via Warsaw and Nice to play in a tournament.
The airline confirmed to CNN that it "cannot accept a citizen of the Russian Federation on its flight," citing restrictions imposed by the Polish Interior Ministry during the Covid-19 pandemic and updated in March 2022 after the invasion of Ukraine.
"The provisions of the regulations impose restrictions on crossing certain borders, including at airports, on citizens of the Russian Federation traveling from outside the Schengen area," the airline said in a statement.
Dyatchenko, 32, told CNN on Wednesday that she was unable to reach her destination after being denied boarding because of her Russian passport and has now returned to Moscow.
According to Reuters, the woman also tried to buy a ticket from German airline Lufthansa, but was told that she could only enter the Schengen area through Spain, which had issued her a visa.
Tennis tournaments continue to host Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions, despite the International Olympic Committee's recommendation in February 2022 to ban their participation.
According to the latest IOC guidelines, released in March, athletes with Russian or Belarusian passports should only compete as individual neutral athletes and meet all anti-doping requirements. Those who support the war or work under contract with the military are not allowed to compete.
Background. As a reminder, British athletes will not participate in the World Boxing Championships due to the admission of Russians and Belarusians.