Wimbledon organisers are set to announce a ban on all players from Russia and Belarus competing at this year’s championships due to the war on Ukraine, according to multiple reports.
A suspension would result in men’s world No.2 Daniil Medvedev and former women’s No.1 Victoria Azarenka being barred from the tournament at the All England Club, set to begin in late June.
A ban would see Wimbledon become the first tennis tournament to suspend Russians and Belarusians.
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They are currently allowed to play on the ATP and WTA circuits as neutral athletes, and have been permitted to enter next month’s Roland-Garros.
A decision has been made after nearly two months of discussions between Wimbledon organisers and the UK government, according to The Times.
While Wimbledon’s reported stance against Russia and Belarus is unprecedented in the tennis world, it’s consistent with sport’s general response to the war.
In two of many major moves in the sporting world, all Russian and Belarusian teams – national and club – were banned from competing in FIFA and UEFA competitions, while Russia was stripped of its Formula 1 grand prix.
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The sporting world reacts to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
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