There have been incidents – Novak Djokovic’s father was caught up, unwittingly he insisted, in a pro-Russia demonstration at the Australian Open, while locker room tensions came to the fore in Indian Wells a couple of weeks ago after Russian player Anastasia Potapova wore a Spartak Moscow shirt on court. Wimbledon site expansion delayed until 2030 There has also now been a year of players from the two countries competing around the world under a neutral flag without any instances of overt support for the conflict. Players and their support staff will not have to expressly condemn the Russian or Belarusian authorities but must declare they are not using the tournaments as a way of supporting those governments. Last year they ruled out forcing Russian and Belarusian athletes to sign declarations but now say “extensive engagement with the UK government and tennis stakeholder bodies has clarified and developed the form of declarations”.
Wimbledon will face accusations of hypocrisy given the ongoing conflict, and organisers highlighted why they have come to a different decision 12 months on. “If circumstances change materially between now and the commencement of the Championships, we will consider and respond accordingly.”īoth governing bodies reiterated their disappointment with tennis’ reaction to last year’s ban, and Wimbledon chief executive Sally Bolton said: “We absolutely stand by the decision that we took last year in the circumstances we found ourselves in.” “We are thankful for the Government’s support as we and our fellow tennis stakeholder bodies have navigated this complex matter and agreed on conditions we believe are workable. It is our view that, considering all factors, these are the most appropriate arrangements for the Championships for this year. “This was an incredibly difficult decision, not taken lightly or without a great deal of consideration for those who will be impacted.
Ian Hewitt, chairman of the AELTC, said: “We continue to condemn totally Russia’s illegal invasion and our wholehearted support remains with the people of Ukraine. The same conditions will apply for the other British grass-court tournaments including Queen’s, reversing the decision made by the AELTC 12 months ago.īy barring players from Russia and Belarus completely, the two governing bodies went against the rest of tennis and were heavily penalised, with Wimbledon stripped of ranking points, while the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) was handed a seven-figure fine and threatened with losing its tournaments.
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