BNo tennis professionals from Russia and Belarus will be admitted to the grass classic in Wimbledon this year. The organizers are reacting to the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, as they confirmed on Wednesday. The exclusion affects, for example, the world number two Daniil Medvedev from Russia and the two-time Grand Slam tournament winner Victoria Asarenka from Belarus.
The third Grand Slam tournament of the year takes place from June 27th to July 10th. Wimbledon is the first event to ban tennis pros because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The organizers said it was one of the tournament’s responsibility to limit Russia’s global influence by whatever means possible. In view of the war of aggression, it would be unacceptable that the Russian regime could benefit from the performances of tennis professionals from Russia or Belarus at Wimbledon, they reasoned. If the conditions change fundamentally by June, this will be considered.
Before the official statement by the organizers, various media, including the “New York Times” and the “Times”, had already reported on Wednesday about the exclusion of the Russian and Belarusian professionals.
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Russia sharply criticized the decision. “Once again, athletes are being held hostage to any political bias, political intrigues, acts hostile to our country. That is unacceptable,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday, according to the Interfax agency.
As reported by the Russian online sports portal “Sportexpress”, State Duma Deputy, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Sport and multiple Russian champion in paraswimming and paraathletics Sergey Burlakov criticized the decision and at the same time attacked the British government. Accordingly, the British sports minister discredits himself and his country with the process.
“Russian tennis players will not be admitted to the Wimbledon tournament. And that means our athletes didn’t make a deal with their conscience and didn’t betray their country,” Burlakov said. “One of the conditions for their participation in the competition was a mandatory statement condemning the actions of Russia in Ukraine. These terms were announced by the UK Sport Secretary.”
Two-time Grand Slam mixed doubles champion Andrei Olkhovsky told Russian internet portal Championat: “Do Russian tennis players have to play on the grass? If there are tournaments on alternative surfaces, and in my opinion there are, then I wouldn’t go on the grass at all”.
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And further: “My question is not aimed at Wimbledon, but at the ATP: How will they continue with the ratings if this is a compulsory tournament for which the points count? If this is a private club that has an agreement that they will hold a tournament under the auspices of the ATP and the WTA. I just don’t know all the agreements. In my opinion, the club has no right to decide who is allowed in and who is not. The country can decide, but that’s not acceptable for a private club,” Olchowski said.
