The Russian Tennis Federation official who insulted Serena Williams with what Williams labeled a "sexist" and "racist" remark, is appealing his punishment.
According to en.itar-tass.com, Shamil Tarpischev, is challenging the WTA's decision to ban him from tennis for one year after he referred to Williams as "one of the Williams' brothers" on the Vecherny Urgant (Late Urgant) show on Russia's Channel One in late October.
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"I have filed an appeal," Tarpischev told TASS over the weekend.
Tarpischev went on the radio station and was asked about Williams' tennis match against Russian Maria Sharapova at the 2012 London Olympics.
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Tarpischev referred to Serena as "one of the Williams brothers."
Serena failed to see the humor in Tarpischev's comments, accusing the Russian official of sexism and racism with those coments.
The WTA banned Tarpischev for one year from its events after he made those remarks about Serena and sister Venus. The organization also fined him $25,000 and later published his letters of apology to Serena and Venus Williams.
At the 2014 WTA Finals in Singapore, Serena Williams confirmed that Tarpischev had apologized to her sister Venus in writing, but the younger Williams. Serena did not say whether she accepted his apology.
When the remarks became public in October, Serena wasn't too happy with Tarpischev at the time.
"I thought they were very insensitive and extremely sexist as well as racist at the same time. I thought they were in a way bullying," Williams told reporters in Singapore on Sunday, Reuters reported. "I've done the best that I can do, and that's all I can say. So I just wasn't very happy with his comments. I think a lot of people weren't happy as well.
"But the WTA and the USTA (United States Tennis Association) did a wonderful job of making sure that -- in this day of age, 2014 for someone with his power, it's really unacceptable to make such bullying remarks."
Do you think that the Russian Tennis Federation official is correct to appeal his one-year ban after calling Serena one of the "Williams brothers?" Comment below or tell us @SportsWN.
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