The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has addressed the recent controversy surrounding Spanish player Paula Badosa by sending an email to all athletes warning against “distasteful” social media posts. The communication emphasized that such content “will not be tolerated.”
Badosa, currently ranked No. 12 in the world, faced backlash after a selfie posted by her technical coach, Pol Toledo Blanco, showed her using chopsticks to pull her eyes. The image, which was later deleted, drew accusations of racism from fans and sparked significant criticism.
The situation escalated with another incident involving Polish player Magda Linette, who posted a photo from Wuhan—the city where the COVID-19 outbreak began—captioned, “The virus database has been updated.” This post also received widespread condemnation.
In response, WTA CEO Portia Archer sent an email to players, reiterating the importance of respecting local cultures during tournaments and the potential negative impact of harmful or insensitive content on the WTA’s brand. Archer’s email, obtained by a British publication, did not mention any players by name but was clearly aimed at recent controversies.
“Tournaments and countries host us as their guests at considerable effort and expense, and it is of absolute importance to respect the local culture of the regions we compete in,” Archer stated. “Distasteful content of any kind relating to the culture, history, or hurtful stereotypes of a group of people or a region is inconsistent with the values the WTA represents and will not be tolerated.”
Archer further explained that such actions not only reflect poorly on the athletes involved but also affect women’s professional tennis as a whole, potentially jeopardizing tournament security and logistics.
In response to the backlash, Badosa clarified her intentions, stating that she did not mean to imitate or mock Asian people. “Oh no, please don’t get it that way. Never thought it would get interpreted this way,” she wrote on Instagram. “I love Asia and have plenty of Asian friends. They are the kindest.”
Despite her attempts to explain, Badosa acknowledged that her original selfie was inappropriate. “Hey guys! Really sorry didn’t know this was offensive towards racism. My mistake. I take full responsibility,” she later posted.
However, the criticism persisted, leading Badosa to express frustration over what she described as “bullying” on social media. “Because all this bullying is insane and it’s ridiculous… This needs to STOP,” she wrote in a since-deleted post on X in late October.
While Badosa’s intentions may not have been malicious, the incident serves as a reminder of the potential consequences of social media posts and the need for sensitivity in public communications. She has indicated that she will be more cautious in the future.
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