The United Nations’ human rights office has strongly criticized the racist mistreatment directed at tennis star Coco Gauff and has urged for collective action to combat racism and sexism. High Commissioner Volker Turk’s office denounced the offensive online messages aimed at Gauff, highlighting the targeted racial abuse faced by Black female athletes.
Gauff, a highly accomplished player with two Grand Slam titles and a current ranking of No. 4, disclosed that she was inundated with a disturbing volume of racist remarks on social media after a contentious moment in her match against Sun Xinran during the China Open. Subsequently, Gauff suffered a defeat to Elise Mertens, citing extreme fatigue and feeling on the verge of collapsing.
The United Nations’ human rights office emphasized that racial or sexist slurs and abuse have no place in sports. It called on players, coaches, and sports organizations to defend those subjected to such attacks, while urging fans to reject racism and sexism that tarnish the spirit of sportsmanship.