(Tennis news) Wimbledon officials are taking part in ongoing talks with the government of the United Kingdom regarding the participation of Russian and Belarusian players in this year’s championship. One of the favourites to win the tournament is World Number 2 Daniil Medvedev and the Russian could be banned as there are fears that his victory could boost Vladimir Putin’s regime while the ongoing invasion in Ukraine is taking place.
As things stand, Russian and Belarusian players have been allowed to compete at ATP, WTA and ITF competitions as long as they participate under a neutral flag and no anthem. However, Wimbledon is hosted by the All England Club which could ban players from these countries without any legal repercussions as it’s an independent body. Wimbledon organisers are working alongside the government and the Lawn Tennis Association before next month’s deadline.
A statement released by the All England Club said “We have noted the UK Government's guidance regarding the attendance of Russian and Belarusian individuals in a neutral capacity at sporting events in the UK. This remains a complex and challenging issue, and we are continuing to engage in discussion with the UK Government, the LTA, and the international governing bodies of tennis. We plan to announce a decision in relation to Wimbledon ahead of our entry deadline in mid-May."
Earlier, UK Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston had asked for the Russian and Belarusian players to prove that they are “genuinely neutral” and give assurances that they don’t give or receive money from Putin’s regime. When asked in a recent interview if players from these countries would be allowed to play, Huddleston said “Absolutely nobody flying the flag for Russia should be allowed or enabled. We need some potential assurance that they are not supporters of Vladimir Putin. We're considering what requirements we may need.
"Would I be comfortable with a Russian athlete flying the Russian flag? No. When it comes to individuals, that gets a bit more complex so we are looking at and talking to various sports in terms of what the response and requirements should be there." If permitted, some of the players who could play at Wimbledon include Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Karen Khachanov, Aslan Karatsev, Aryna Sabalenka, Victoria Azarenka, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Veronika Kudermetova, Daria Kasatkina and Ludmilla Samsonova. The last Russian player to have won the Wimbledon title was Maria Sharapova in 2004 after defeating Serena Williams.
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