Tennis: Wimbledon is allowing Russians again this year under certain conditions

The British tennis association LTA said in a statement on Friday that it was still firmly of the opinion that an exclusion “was the right course”. Ultimately, they bowed to the great pressure from the ATP and WTA player associations.

“Substantial penalties” including the “real prospect of termination of our membership” in the event of a renewed start ban would have left the organizer almost no other choice.

And so the organizers of the only Grand Slam tournament on grass announced on Friday that they will reopen the gates at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club for Russian and Belarusian players from July 3 to 16 in London. “As long as they compete as ‘neutral’ athletes and meet the relevant conditions,” as the Wimbledon organizer limited in a press release.

The waiver of the national flag is only one point. Players are also not allowed to make statements of support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or receive any financial support from the state in connection with participation in the tournament. This also applies to the sponsorship of state-owned companies such as Gazprom. According to the LTA, the starters must sign a corresponding declaration of neutrality. The conditions were worked out after an exchange with the British government, the LTA and international interest groups in tennis.

With their decision, the organizers promptly triggered political protests from Ukraine. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba criticized them as “immoral” via Twitter. And further: “Has Russia stopped its aggression or its atrocities?” Koleba wrote. “No, only Wimbledon decided to give in to two criminal accomplices.” He urged the UK government not to issue visas to players from those two countries.

In the previous year, athletes from Russia and Belarus such as world number five Daniil Medvedev were not allowed, which went against the basic course of the ATP and WTA. That’s why no points were awarded for the world rankings in Wimbledon. At the Australian Open, French Open and US Open, professionals from both countries were allowed to start as neutral athletes after the start of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.

The organizers said that dropping the special role was also a reason for the decision: “We also consider the alignment between the Grand Slams in the current tennis environment to be increasingly important.” However, Ian Hewitt, chairman of the All England Club, emphasized that the illegal invasion of Russia remains “strongly condemned” and the Ukrainians are supported “wholeheartedly”. It was an “incredibly difficult decision” that was “not taken lightly or without great consideration for those affected”.

The ATP and the WTA responded in a statement with satisfaction, but they also pointed out that the situation was still “extremely difficult”. This has intensified again since Thursday evening: Ukraine’s cabinet of ministers officially instructed the country’s athletes to boycott competitions in which Russians and Belarusians take part. Should athletes nevertheless start at those events, this could lead to the respective associations being stripped of their national status.

This is in response to last Tuesday’s recommendation by the International Olympic Committee to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete as neutral participants. So will Wimbledon take place with Russians and Belarusians, but without Ukrainians? In any case, the issue does not end with Friday’s decision, especially since the organizers kept the option open to adjust if the circumstances “change significantly” before the start of the tournament.