On the court, Andy Murray has always been one to lead by example. He’s championed women’s equality in the game and been a voice of support for players who have spoken up about mental health and the toll of competition. And with his athletic prowess and the kind of power that make his shots impossible to defend, the former World Number 1 has continued to fight his way back from injury, proving to anyone watching that it’s never too late to pursue a dream.
It’s no surprise then, that Murray’s courage continues outside of the sport, as he continues to speak up in support of Ukraine and help those disadvantaged by war. Having donated £500,000 (approximately $906,364) of his prize money to help Ukrainian children affected by war, he’s been recognised with the 2022 Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award by the ATP.
An announcement by @CitiOpen owner Mark Ein that the tournament will match the donations made by @andy_murray for Ukraine relief. ???????? pic.twitter.com/fqIVOvluUb
— TennisAtlantic (@TennisAtlantic) July 30, 2022
Murray made the announcement to donate the rest of his season earnings to Ukraine UNICEF Aid back in March, with the understanding that the organisation would use the money to help children suffering from the Russian invasion. With the fast-paced turn-over of the news cycle, the war in Ukraine has come to be steamrolled by other events – some local and others global, all of which have largely overshadowed the utter devastation faced by the country torn apart by Putin’s war.
In continuing his activism and donating his earnings to the organisation, Murray hopes people will be reminded that this is an urgent and ongoing issue, one that has cost thousands of lives, and people need to still be aware of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine which has continued since mid-February when Russia first invaded.
In an interview with Racquet Magazine, Murray explained: “It’s not the main story on the news every day like it was back then. You can’t just forget about this. It’s still going on. People are still getting killed, children are still having to flee their homes, and are in really, really tragic situations. I think it’s important that the media continues to shine a light on it, keep talking about it.”
While support was forthcoming immediately after Russian invasion, even in the sporting world organisers and athletes alike were quick to raise their voice in solidarity. In the world of tennis, players and tournaments were outspoken about the crisis, with some even wearing ribbons to show their support for Ukraine during the Indian Wells competition. For Murray though, as the months of war have continued, support from the tennis community has waned.
Through his actions, Murray reminds us all that these communities and people are not to be forgotten and there is no moving on from this tragedy. After receiving the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award, the Scot expressed: “When images of the news showing what was happening to families began pouring in, it was devastating. Houses were bombed and families were displaced. Young children were affected by this, with many injured and in some cases dying. I wasn’t sure what I could do to help.”
Working with Unicef UK, Murray pledged all of his prize-money earnings for the rest of the 2022 season, stating: “It seemed like something that would give me some extra motivation this year. I thought I could raise some awareness and hopefully get others involved in helping, too.”
The impact this will have on relief efforts on the ground in Ukraine is unquantifiable. As Jon Sparkes OBE, chief executive at the UK Committee for Unicef, expressed: “Over nine months of war has left millions of children in need of humanitarian assistance, with destroyed infrastructure and freezing weather leaving Ukraine’s children facing an uncertain future.”
Sparkes added, “The incredible donation will support Unicef’s work responding to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which is having a devastating impact on the country’s 7.5 million children.”
