Wimbledon will allow Russian and Belarusian players to compete at this year’s tournament, organizers announced Friday, after they were banned from the 2022 event because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Russian and Belarusian players will compete at the Grand Slam tennis event under a neutral flag, and they will not be allowed to express support for the invasion. Any player who receives funding from the Russian or Belarusian governments, including sponsorships from state-controlled companies, will not be allowed to play.
Wimbledon’s ban kept stars such as Russia’s Daniil Medvedev, the world’s No. 2 men’s player at the time, and Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, the fourth-ranked women’s player, out of last year’s tournament. The move was condemned not only by Russia but also by the Association of Tennis Professionals, who called the decision “unfair” and said it “has the potential to set a damaging precedent for the game.
Both the ATP and the Women’s Tennis Association stripped Wimbledon of its rankings points after last year’s decision. In July, the WTA fined the All England Club more than $250,000 and the Lawn Tennis Association — which sponsors other pro tournaments in England — nearly $1 million over their decisions to ban Russian players. In December, the ATP followed suit against the Lawn Tennis Association,Russia has two men’s players — No. 5 Medvedev and seventh-ranked Andrey Rublev — in the ATP top 10.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Wimbledon to allow Russian and Belarusian players to compete this year | CNNWimbledon will accept entries from Russian and Belarusian players for this year’s tournament if they agree to compete as neutral athletes and comply with “appropriate conditions”
Read more »
Wimbledon lifts ban on Russian and Belarusian players who will compete as 'neutral athletes'Wimbledon has lifted a ban on Russian and Belarusian players from its tournament this year, with players agreeing to sign neutral declarations.
Read more »
Wimbledon drops ban on Russian and Belarusian players, letting them compete as neutralsRussian and Belarusian players will be able to compete at Wimbledon as neutral athletes after the All England Club reverses its ban.
Read more »
Russian official warns of plot to overthrow Belarusian government'The Russians will stand shoulder to shoulder with their brothers,' Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said.
Read more »
Wimbledon Will Allow Russian Players to Compete This YearThe move formally ends a ban imposed on the athletes following the invasion of Ukraine last year.
Read more »