By Victor Kanayo
Organisers of 2023 Wimbledon have given Russian and Belarusian athletes condition for them to take part in the competition.
Specifically, the athletes from both countries, are expected to participate as neutrals, without the use of Russian and Belarusian flags, emblems and anthems during the competition.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the All England Club.
Part of the statement reads, “Our current intention is to accept entries from Russian and Belarusian players subject to them competing as ‘neutral’ athletes and complying with appropriate conditions.
“These will prohibit expressions of support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in various forms and prohibit entry by players receiving funding from the Russian and/or Belarusian states (including sponsorship from companies operated or controlled by the states) in relation to their participation in The Championships.
“The conditions have been carefully developed through constructive dialogue with the UK Government, the LTA and international stakeholder bodies in tennis, and are aligned with the Government’s published guidance to sporting bodies in the UK.
“Three developments, taken together, have informed our current position: The option of personal player declarations was not in our view viable last year.
“Since then, extensive engagement with the government and tennis stakeholder bodies has clarified and developed the form of declarations and produced workable measures for their implementation and enforcement. This approach has the full support of the government and the LTA, ATP, WTA and ITF.
“There was a strong and very disappointing reaction from some governing bodies in tennis to the position taken by the All England Club and the LTA last year with consequences which, if continued, would be damaging to the interests of players, fans, The Championships and British tennis.
“Tennis events outside of the UK have experienced a year of competition with players from Russia and Belarus competing as ‘neutral’ athletes. We also consider alignment between the Grand Slams to be increasingly important in the current tennis environment.”
Wimbledon had reversed its ban on Russian and Belarusian players ahead of the 2023 Tennis championship that starts in July.
Last year, the Lawn Tennis Association were punished with reduced points from the world ranking, with a fine because of their ban on players from Russia and Belarus, following Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
It was in 2021, Russia and Belarus Tennis stars last participated in Wimbledon, with Kristina Dmitruk and Diana Shnaider, winning the Girls’ doubles while the duo of Veronika Kudermetova and Elena Vesnina lost in the Ladies’ doubles final.
