Tennis Politics: Belarus Players Banned From Wimbledon

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC), which organises Wimbledon, banned players from Russia and its ally Belarus from competing in the 2022 Championships. The AELTC said it did not want Russian or Belarusian success at Wimbledon to benefit the propaganda machine of the Russian regime. The ban also applied to other British grass court tournaments.

The UK government pressured the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) to impose the ban

In 2022, the UK government pressured the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC), which organises Wimbledon, to impose a ban on players from Russia and Belarus. This was in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, for which Belarus provided support. The UK government's guidance was cited by the AELTC as the reason for the ban.

The UK government's stance was that "nobody flying the flag for Russia should be allowed" to play at Wimbledon, and that any Russians seeking to participate should be required to declare their non-support for Putin. The UK Culture Secretary, Lucy Frazer, later reiterated this position, stating that "individual, self-funded Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete in the United Kingdom, subject to following our guidance on neutrality".

The AELTC's decision was influenced by the need to align with the UK government's efforts to "limit Russia's global influence". The AELTC also wanted to avoid a situation that could "benefit the propaganda machine of the Russian regime". The ban was also motivated by broader concerns for public and player safety.

The AELTC's chair, Ian Hewitt, acknowledged that the ban was a difficult decision and expressed sadness for the affected players, stating that "it is with sadness that they will suffer for the actions of the leaders of the Russian regime". However, he justified the ban by citing the high-profile nature of the tournament, the importance of not allowing sport to promote the Russian regime, and concerns for public and player safety.

The AELTC's ban on Belarusian and Russian tennis players at Wimbledon was met with criticism and opposition from international tennis bodies and players, including the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). The ATP and WTA decided not to award ranking points for Wimbledon results that year, effectively reducing the tournament to an exhibition event. The AELTC and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) were also fined by the ATP and WTA for imposing the ban.

Despite the backlash, the UK government maintained its position, and the ban remained in place for the 2022 Wimbledon Championships. The AELTC eventually lifted the ban in March 2023, allowing Russian and Belarusian players to compete as neutrals in the 2023 tournament if they met certain conditions, including refraining from expressing support for the invasion and not receiving government funding from their respective countries.

The ban was supported by Ukrainian players

In 2022, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC), which organises Wimbledon, banned players from Russia and its ally Belarus from competing in the Wimbledon Championships and other UK tennis tournaments. The ban was supported by Ukrainian players, who demanded a blanket ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes from international events.

Ukrainian players Elina Svitolina, Marta Kostyuk, and Serhiy Stakhovsky stated in a joint statement that "in times of crisis, silence means agreeing with what is happening". They criticised Russian and Belarusian players for failing to clearly state that Russia and Belarus started the war in Ukraine, and argued that the "very silence of those who choose to remain that way right now is unbearable as it leads to the continuation of murder in our homeland".

The AELTC's decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players was influenced by the UK government's efforts to "limit Russia's global influence" and prevent Russian or Belarusian success at Wimbledon from "benefit[ing] the propaganda machine of the Russian regime". The AELTC also cited concerns for public and player safety, and the high-profile nature of the Championships.

While the ban was criticised by some in the tennis world, including the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), it was supported by Ukrainian players such as Svitolina, Kostyuk, Stakhovsky, and Alexandr Dolgopolov. The ban was also supported by Nordic countries, including Sweden, Iceland, Finland, and Norway.

In March 2023, the AELTC lifted the ban, allowing Russian and Belarusian players to compete in the 2023 Wimbledon Championships as neutral athletes, provided they met certain conditions. These conditions included refraining from expressing support for the invasion, not receiving government funding, and not displaying items or symbols that support the war or Russia and Belarus.

The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) opposed the ban

The ATP and WTA's stance was that the ban broke with the consensus formed by the ITF, the ATP, the WTA, and the other three Grand Slam tournaments to allow players from Russia and Belarus to compete as neutral athletes. They were supported by many current and former players, such as Novak Djokovic, Billie Jean King, Rafael Nadal, Martina Navratilova, and Alexander Zverev.

Andrey Rublev, a Russian player who was banned from competing, called the decision "complete discrimination" and said he had hoped to find a workaround by offering to donate his prize money. Belarusian player Victoria Azarenka and Russian player Aryna Sabalenka, both ranked within the top 100, were also unable to compete.

The ATP and WTA took further action by stripping Wimbledon of ranking points, effectively reducing the tournament to an exhibition event. This decision impacted the rankings of players who would have otherwise gained points at Wimbledon, such as Elena Rybakina, who would have entered the top 10 with her win, and men's singles champion Novak Djokovic, who fell from No. 3 to No. 7 in the ATP rankings.

The WTA fined the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) $750,000 and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) $250,000 over the ban. The ATP also fined the LTA $1 million. These fines were appealed by the AELTC and LTA.

In March 2023, the ban was lifted for the 2023 Championships, allowing players from Russia and Belarus to compete as neutrals if they refrain from expressing support for the invasion and sign statements attesting to their neutrality. The ATP and WTA welcomed this decision, stating that they were pleased all players would have the opportunity to compete and reiterating their condemnation of the war in Ukraine.

The ATP and WTA fined the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) for the ban

The decision to ban Belarusian players from Wimbledon in 2022 was met with a lot of criticism from international tennis bodies and players. The ban was imposed following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the use of Belarus as a staging ground for troops and weapons. While Wimbledon was the only Grand Slam to implement the ban, the French Open allowed them to compete.

The ban was opposed by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), who decided to not award ranking points for Wimbledon results that year. The ATP and WTA issued statements calling the ban discriminatory and maintained their stance that Russians and Belarusians should be allowed to compete as neutral athletes.

As a result of the ban, the ATP and WTA fined the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), which organises Wimbledon. The LTA was fined £820,000 by the ATP and $750,000 by the WTA, with the AELTC receiving a $250,000 fine from the WTA. The LTA was also threatened with expulsion from the ATP Tour if it repeated the ban.

The LTA expressed deep disappointment with the fines, accusing the ATP and WTA of a lack of empathy for the situation in Ukraine and a lack of understanding of the unique circumstances they faced. The financial impact of the fines was expected to affect the LTA's ability to develop and host tennis tournaments in the UK.

The UK government also weighed in on the decision, with Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan urging the ATP and WTA to reconsider. She emphasised the need to condemn the Russian invasion and supported the banning of athletes representing Russian or Belarusian states from competing in other countries.

The ban was lifted in March 2023

In March 2023, the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) lifted its ban on Belarusian and Russian tennis players, allowing them to compete as neutral athletes in the 2023 Wimbledon Championships. This decision came after the AELTC faced backlash from the men's ATP Tour and women's WTA Tour, as well as several players, who deemed the ban discriminatory. The AELTC's ban was also met with fines from the ATP and WTA and resulted in Wimbledon being stripped of its ranking points.

The AELTC's reversal of the ban was influenced by the fact that Wimbledon was the only Grand Slam tournament to implement such a ban, with other majors allowing players from both countries to compete as individual athletes without national affiliation. Additionally, the war in Ukraine had been ongoing for almost a year by March 2023, and the AELTC aimed to fall back in line with the other Grand Slams and the men's and women's professional tours.

Despite lifting the ban, the AELTC imposed several strict conditions on players from Russia and Belarus. These included refraining from expressing support for the invasion, not receiving government funding or sponsorships from state-controlled companies, and signing declarations of neutrality. The AELTC also announced a support package for Ukrainian players, covering their accommodation costs during the Championships and the British grass-court season, and donating one pound to Ukraine relief efforts for every ticket sold.

The decision to lift the ban was not without controversy, as Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba protested, calling the move "immoral." He urged Britain to deny visas to players from Russia and Belarus. However, the AELTC maintained that the ban was lifted after careful consideration and consultation with the UK government, reiterating their condemnation of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

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