When Shamil Tarpischev, president of the Russian Tennis Federation, sat down for a joint interview with former Russian tennis star Elena Dementieva on Evening Urgant, he thought he would be able to crack a few jokes to warm up the audience. Instead, Tarpischev crossed the line almost instantly by taking a shot at Venus and Serena Williams — two of the biggest names in tennis. While laughing, Tarpischev referred to the ladies as "The Williams brothers," a comment that left Dementieva looking stunned as the audience did not know how to react. He ultimately got fined and suspended over his "sexist" remarks.
Stacey Allaster, chairwoman and chief executive of the Women's Tennis Association, knew exactly how to react: She later announced that Tarpischev was being fined $25,000, the maximum amount possible. Tarpischev will also be suspended from anything connected to the WTA for the next year, according to Allaster.
"The WTA was founded on the principles of equality, opportunity and respect, and Venus and Serena embody all of these attributes. Mr. Tarpischev's statement questioning their gender tarnishes our great game and two of our champions. His derogatory remarks deserve to be condemned and he will be sanctioned," she said.
Serena Williams was on hand for the WTA Tour Finals in Singapore Sunday when asked about the comments made by Tarpischev.
According to her, she felt his remarks were racist and sexist, and she is glad to see the WTA take action against Tarpischev. The Russian bigwig eventually apologized and apparently believed that since he was doing a late-night program, he could push the limits a bit more.
Do you agree with Williams's saying that the remark made by Tarpischev was "sexist," or do you think it was meant to be a risky joke and should not be read into deeply? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
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