All England Club not prepared to ‘benefit Russian propaganda’

Wimbledon has banned Russian and Belarusian players because it is not prepared “to be used to benefit the propaganda machine of the Russian regime”, says chairman Ian Hewitt.

The tournament is unlikely to waver on the move, despite criticism from tennis governing bodies and many players.

Wimbledon runs from 27 June to 10 July.

“If conditions significantly change, we would happily review. At this point, we’re very clear about our intent,” chief executive Sally Bolton added.

Russian president Vladimir Putin said the banning of Russian and Belarusian athletes is “discrimination based on nationality”.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Bolton said: “We absolutely acknowledge that others will have different views about the decision we have taken.

“But in the context of the government guidance and increasingly serious situation in Ukraine, we really believe it was the only viable option we could take.

“The government did set out clear guidance within which we had to operate, but it is our decision based on the reasons we’ve set out.”

Meanwhile, the organisers of the grass-court Grand Slam also announced that players who are not vaccinated against Covid-19 will be able to compete at the All England Club.

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, the men’s world number one and defending Wimbledon champion, was not allowed to play at the Australian Open in January following a row which centred around him being unvaccinated.

The decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players from this year’s tournament was “intensely tough and agonising”, Hewitt said.

The All England Club and the Lawn Tennis Association announced the move last week in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

It is the first major tournament to ban tennis players from the two countries. They are also banned from all the UK grass-court tournaments.

Talks are ongoing between Wimbledon and the government over whether Russian and Belarusian coaches and other officials can attend. But Russian journalists will be not be accredited by the All England Club.

“It is an extreme and exceptional situation which takes us far beyond the interest of the tennis world alone,” said Hewitt.

“Russia’s ongoing invasion has led to catastrophic harm to millions of lives in Ukraine and has been condemned worldwide.

“The UK government has set out directive guidance for sporting bodies and events with the specific aim of limiting Russia’s influence. We have taken that guidance into account as we must as a high-profile event and leading British institution.

“Bound to act, we believe we have made the most responsible decision in the circumstances.”

BBC