Russian and Belarusian tennis players have been banned from competing at Wimbledon this summer because of Vladimir Putin’s “unjustified” war in Ukraine.
Stars, including world number two Daniil Medvedev, number eight Andrei Rublev and Belarus’ Arina Sabalenka, will no longer be eligible to play in the third Grand Slam tournament of the year.
The All England Club, which holds the tournament in south-west London every summer, is the first tennis organization to flatly deny Russian players.
In a statement, President Ian Hewitt said: “We recognize that this is a pity for those affected and they will grieve over the actions of the leaders of the Russian regime.
“We have very carefully considered the alternative measures that could be taken under the guidelines of the United Kingdom government, but given the high-ranking environment of the championship, the importance of not allowing the use of sport to promote the Russian regime and our wider concern the public and the safety of the players (including the family), we do not believe it is viable to continue on any other basis in The Championships. “
Image: Daniil Medvedev is among the Russian athletes affected by the ban. Photo: AP
A number of tennis stars have been affected by the ban
The news comes as Russia faces constant pressure from the West to end its war in Ukraine, which has forced millions of people to flee their homes.
On behalf of women, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (15th in the world rankings), Daria Kasatkina (26) and Veronika Kudermetova (29) are among those affected by the ban.
Belarusian toys Sabalenka (4) and Victoria Azarenka (18) are also excluded.
Belarus has supported President Putin’s military efforts by accepting Russian troops and allowing them to use the country as a platform.
The Kremlin has said the ban is unacceptable and that the tournament itself will suffer.
ATP and WTA Tours and the International Tennis Federation have allowed players from Russia and Belarus to continue competing, but are barred from displaying their national flags or playing their national anthems.
Wimbledon will be held from June 27 to July 10.
Image: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova from Russia is also affected by the ban
LTA: The participation of Russian and Belarusian citizens “risks pushing” the regimes
The Grass Tennis Association (LTA) echoed comments from the All England Club, saying that after “careful consideration” it believes the sport should join others in sending a “clear signal” to the Russian and Belarusian states.
In a statement, they added: “The continued involvement of Russian and Belarusian citizens in events risks boosting these regimes when there are unprecedented international efforts to isolate them and sanction their actions.”
The LTA acknowledges that individual Russian and Belarusian players may disagree with the actions of their governments, but adds that the association must do everything possible to support Ukraine.
Last month, Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston suggested that Medvedev and his Russian counterparts not be allowed to compete unless they somehow reassure the government that they do not support Putin.
In February, Medvedev said he was “all for peace” after his quarterfinal victory over Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka at the Mexican Open.
A day later, Rublev made headlines after writing “No War, Please” on television after defeating Poland’s Hubert Hurkatz at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Image: The Russian Andrei Rublev is the eighth number in the world and is among those affected by the ban
It is not difficult to see how it could have become a great distraction.
The idea that Russian and Belarusian players could play at Wimbledon this summer as neutrals never worked.
They would be required to sign a form to confirm their neutrality, making it clear that they are not receiving government funding.
They also had to promise not to declare their support for the invasion of Ukraine or the Russian regime.
These are hoops that players would jump through – many of them have already publicly called for peace.
However, it is not difficult to see how this can quickly turn into a big distraction.
By choosing a total ban, they will face the wrath of the affected players, but most importantly, the All England Lawn Tennis Club has moved to defend its tournament after two years of disruption by COVID-19.
It would be extremely inconvenient to have a Russian or Belarusian winner this year.
There are some big names that will now be missed in both men’s and women’s competitions – players who are still competing in other parts of the world.
However, Wimbledon chose to go further and follow the example of the UK government to do everything possible to punish Russia for the invasion of Ukraine.
What other sporting events have been banned in Russia?
Russian athletes and teams have been removed and sanctioned by a number of sports organizations over the war in Ukraine.
Russian Paralympians were blocked from the Winter Paralympics shortly after the invasion began, and Russian and Belarusian runners were barred from participating in the Boston Marathon.
Russia’s football team was removed from qualifying for the Men’s World Cup later this year, and in February the International Olympic Committee recommended banning Russian athletes from international competitions, removing teams and individuals from dozens of major sporting events.
Some Russian athletes have been screened for branding the “Z” symbol associated with the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
Last month, gymnast Ivan Kulyak was criticized for wearing the symbol, which was thought to mean “victory”, on the podium next to a Ukrainian athlete.
He later told Russian state media that he did not regret it.
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