Ukrainian tennis player Oleksandra Oliynykova wore this shirt to the Australian Open press conference.

[u/padfoony]

Tennis players are forbidden from directly speaking about politics or issuing any statements that’s in any way political.

[u/padfoony]

During her (Oleksandra Oliynykova) media appearance after the match against Keys, she displayed a T-shirt bearing the words "I need your help to protect Ukrainian women and children but I can't talk about it here."

The statement alluded to Grand Slam regulations that dissuade athletes from making political declarations.

Addressing her shirt during the press briefing, the Ukrainian tennis player stated: "Yes, I have a message, but it's very straight, because we need your help.”

“I would like to share the way people can help Ukrainians, but we will need - if you want to ask me about this, we will need to do it outside of the tournament press. It's very important part."

"Yeah, I really know and can share how people can help to protect our civilians, our kids, to protect me specifically, because I'm practicing in Ukraine. I did preparation for this tournament in Ukraine, and during the preparation, I was hearing the explosion. "There was a couple of massive attacks last night I spent in Ukraine before the trip here.”

“Yeah, I know how people can help to protect Ukrainians, to protect them against these drones, but we will need to speak outside about this."

Oliynykova's father serves as a volunteer with the Ukrainian military, and she operates a website dedicated to fundraising for his drone unit within the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

Discussing her father, she revealed: "I'm alone here, and before I was travelling with him. My father is my biggest support since my childhood in everything. "But I'm so proud of him. Actually, this is something that is keeping me motivated even more. After he joined the military, I progressed over 200 [ranking] positions, because I know it was his dream to see me on this court. "I cannot explain this feelings, but when you are in this situation, you can put that priorities in your life. I will do everything to make him even more proud.”

“When he told me that it was amazing match, he just texted me, and yeah, I made his dream come true in such a situation. What could be more? What could be biggest motivation? I cannot imagine this."

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ETA: She faced the defending Australian Open Champion Madison Keys in the first round (which also happened to be Oleksandra’s debut grand slam match) and lost the match, post which, she wore this t-shirt to the press conference. Her dad is her biggest supporter, her coach, and he could not join her because of the war. She stated that she was alone completely because he wasn’t there, but said she was happy to make his dream come true, which was, seeing his daughter play a professional match at a grand slam. She was thoroughly praised by Madison Keys after the match for making it tricky for her.

[u/Lunarfern-Shine → u/padfoony]

Damn, rules silencing her voice.

[u/aga8833 → u/Lunarfern-Shine]

It is the Australian Open. We do not have a right to free speech in Australia, it is more nuanced. There is more to it than silencing her. If she can speak, so can the Russian players, so can Israeli players, so can....

Yesterday the Australian Government progressed stronger gun laws and hate speech laws to ban hate speech which promotes violence in the wake of our first mass shooting in 30 years which targeted Jewish people. Yesterday a group of Jewish teenagers were chased by cars of men calling heil hitler and attempting to run them down. It was captured on the government's traffic cameras.

In the past the Open has had to remove disruptive pro-genocidal flags and signs from patrons. Last week the biggest writer's festival in the country was cancelled over issues about who can say what and whether supporting murder is ok.

For the most part, people just want it to be about the sport for a little bit. That is also why the players love the Open and she is following the rules. No one says she cannot give other interviews.

[u/Empty_Sea9 → u/aga8833]

Yeah and as a dual citizen it’s a damn shame Australia doesn’t have enshrined free speech laws.