All articles tagged with #handshake
President Donald Trump is angry with Attorney General Pam Bondi over a past incident involving her diamond ring causing him to bleed, and also because he believes she is slow in prosecuting James Comey. Trump accidentally shared a public message on Truth Social urging her to act, which upset Bondi, but he later praised her efforts.
A video circulating on social media allegedly showing officials avoiding shaking hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was found to be false. The group in the video consisted of Russian officials who were instructed to only shake the hand of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as part of a welcoming ceremony. Other footage showed the greeting being returned to Putin by UAE officials.
President Biden forgot to shake hands with Brazilian President Lula after a joint event at the United Nations, adding to a series of recent gaffes. This incident occurred on the same day Biden was criticized for repeating a story at a fundraiser, raising concerns about his age and fitness for a second term. A recent poll found that 77% of Americans, including 69% of Democrats, believe Biden is too old for re-election.
Ukrainian fencer Olha Kharlan has called for a change in the rules of her sport after being disqualified for refusing to shake hands with Russian fencer Anna Smirnova at the World Fencing Championships. Kharlan won the individual saber bout but offered a touch of her saber's blade instead of a handshake. Tennis player Elina Svitolina and local football clubs Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk expressed solidarity with Kharlan. The Fencing Federation of Ukraine is preparing to appeal the disqualification decision. The International Olympic Committee urged sports federations to handle contests between Ukrainian and Russian athletes with sensitivity due to the ongoing conflict between the two countries.
Former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka was booed by the crowd at Wimbledon after a lack of handshake with Elina Svitolina following her fourth-round loss. Svitolina, who has publicly stated she will not shake hands with players from Russia or Belarus due to the ongoing invasion of her home country, said the reaction was a result of a misunderstanding. Azarenka respected Svitolina's decision and followed her lead, giving a congratulatory wave from her chair. Both players called for tennis organizations to educate crowds about the situation to avoid future hostility. Svitolina advanced to the quarterfinals and will face Iga Swiatek.
Elina Svitolina accused Aryna Sabalenka of adding fuel to the fire by standing at the net waiting for a handshake she knew would never happen at the end of their French Open quarterfinal. Svitolina had warned she would not shake hands with players from Russia or Belarus following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine last year. Sabalenka skipped her two previous news conferences after being grilled on her personal stance on the war, as her country is a key staging area for Russia's operations.
Elina Svitolina accused Aryna Sabalenka of deliberately "inflaming" the tense stand-off between Ukraine and Belarus players at the French Open on Tuesday by staring her down at the net. Sabalenka won their quarter-final 6-4, 6-4 and then approached the net in expectation of a handshake which Svitolina had already insisted she was not going to offer. All Ukraine players refuse to shake hands with Russian and Belarusian rivals in protest at the ongoing war.
Ukrainian tennis player Anhelina Kalinina refused to shake hands with her Russian opponent Veronika Kudermetova after winning the semifinals of the Rome Masters, citing political tensions between the two countries. Kalinina denied that Kudermetova's nationality influenced the match, which she won in three sets. Kalinina also spoke about her family's experiences with explosions in Ukraine and expressed hope that her victories bring positivity to her country. She will face Elena Rybakina in the final.
Domantas Sabonis didn't have much to say in response to Draymond Green's criticism of him for not shaking hands after the Warriors' win over the Kings in Game 7 of their first-round NBA playoff series. Green had previously stated that he lost respect for Sabonis for not shaking hands after the game. The beef between the two players began in Game 2 when Sabonis held onto Green's leg, and Green retaliated by stomping on his chest.
Draymond Green criticized Domantas Sabonis for not shaking hands after the Golden State Warriors defeated the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA playoffs. Green said he lost respect for Sabonis and that it was disrespectful not to shake hands after a loss. Sabonis did not directly address the situation, but given Green's history with him during the series, it's understandable why he may have avoided the postgame handshake. While post-series handshakes are a tradition, they are not an official one, and many players have skipped them in the past.
Jannik Sinner refused to comment on the frosty handshake with Holger Rune after their Monte-Carlo semi-final match, which Rune won in three sets. The Italian player didn't like some of the choices made by the Danish player during the match, including hitting a few balls directly at him after the point was over. Sinner's handshake with Rune was chilly, but he didn't want to comment on it.