Wimbledon has excluded the Russians and Belarusians from the 2022 edition of the grass-court Major due to the war in Ukraine, becoming the first tennis tournament to exclude these players individually.
A decision that makes noise. Not just in the world of tennis. Daniil Medvedev, world number 2, Andrey Rublev (8th), Aryna Sabalenka (4th and semi-finalist last year), Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (15th) and Viktoria Azarenka (ex-n°1 today 18th) will therefore not be able to defend their chances in London. “Under the circumstances of unjustified and unprecedented military aggression, it would be unacceptable for the Russian regime to derive any benefit from the participation of Russian or Belarusian players.“Explains the tournament in a press release.
This decision could be reviewed if the “circumstances change drastically by June“, adds the text. “We recognize that this decision is hard on those individually affected, and it is with sadness that they will suffer from the actions of the leaders of the Russian regime.“, adds the president of the All England Club which hosts the event, Ian Hewitt. “Once again, they are making athletes hostages of political prejudices, political intrigues (…) It is unacceptable“, had declared the spokesman of the Kremlin Dmitry Peskov, even before the official announcement of the tournament.
Read alsoTennis: banning Russian players from Wimbledon would be “unacceptable” according to the Kremlin
Following the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Russian and Belarusian athletes have been banned from numerous athletics and figure skating competitions as well as from the Paralympic Games in Beijing, the Football World Cup, the World Swimming Championships… tennis, tournaments in Russia and Belarus have been canceled, while the two nations have been excluded from team competitions (Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup, both won by Russia last year).
Read alsoTennis: Ukrainian Svitolina calls for the “exclusion” of Russian and Belarusian players from the circuit
But individually and under a neutral banner, players from these two countries are currently authorized to play ATP and WTA tournaments. However, the four Grand Slam tournaments, Australian Open, Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and US Open, are independent of the men’s and women’s circuits.
SEE ALSO – When Everton and Manchester City show their support for Ukraine
Two months of talks
To date, the French Federation (FFT) which organizes Roland-Garros (May 22-June 5) and the American (USTA) which organizes the US Open (August 29-September 11) have not planned to exclude Russian and Belarusian players. Affected players have been muted in their condemnation of the dispute, although Russia’s Andrey Rublev wrote, “no war pleaseon a TV camera during a competition in Dubai right after the invasion. “I want peace all over the worldwas content to say Medvedev, recovering from an operation.
Belarusian Azarenka, former world No.1 and crowned twice at the Australian Open, was more explicit. “It is heartbreaking to see how many innocent people have been and continue to be affected by this violence.the 32-year-old said in March.
“We demand the exclusion»
“I have always seen and experienced Ukrainians and Belarusians as friendly people and supportive of each other. It’s hard to witness the violent separation that’s taking place right nowAzarenka pointed out. These declarations are considered insufficient by Ukrainian players, including Elina Svitolina (ex-N.5) who ask the ATP and the WTA to exclude Russians and Belarusians if they do not correctly answer three questions set out in a press release : “Do you support the invasion (…), do you support the military activities (…), do you support the regimes of Putin and Lukashenko?»
“Depending on the responses, we demand the exclusion and banishment of Russian and Belarusian athletes from all international competition, as Wimbledon did“, Continues this text posted on social networks on Wednesday. The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), which oversees the main preparation tournaments for Wimbledon, has decided to align itself with the measure taken by the Major and not to welcome any Russians or Belarusians to Queen’s or Eastbourne in particular. A decision hailed by Wimbledon for its “consistency“.