In her first major media appearance since taking over as CEO of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) in July, Portia Archer addressed the decision to stage the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia, a move that has sparked debate.
Speaking to The Athletic, Archer acknowledged the cultural and value differences between the United States and Saudi Arabia but maintained that the WTA’s commitment to its core principles remains intact.
“We often play in environments and in countries that have different customs, different cultures, and in some cases different value systems than I might have personally or that the WTA may have as an organisation based in the United States,” Archer stated. She emphasized that, to her knowledge, the WTA has “never had issues with freedom of expression” in such settings.
Clarifying her earlier remarks on alignment with host countries' values, Archer said, “My intention was to really say that we respect the values, even if they differ from other countries that we find ourselves in and compete in.”
She also highlighted that the decision to host the Finals in Saudi Arabia was made with input from WTA players and aimed to align with the tour’s broader objectives. She acknowledged the complexity of defining a clear “line” on political or cultural issues but reiterated the WTA’s practice of weighing potential trade-offs while striving to uphold its values.
Simon Briggs of The Telegraph noted that Archer faced “tricky questions” about the three-year, lucrative deal with Saudi Arabia. Though Archer initially appeared to distance the WTA from the gender-related policies of the host nation, she clarified that the organization does consider political and cultural factors when selecting venues, asserting, “We do weigh trade-offs, and we try to stay in alignment with WTA values.”
No comments:
Post a Comment