Wimbledon's Russian player ban slammed as 'crazy'

Is it fair to punish players for Russia's invasion of Ukraine?

Ukraine's tennis player Elina Svitolina reacts during her WTA Monterrey Open tournament tennis match against Russia´s tennis player Anastasia Potapova in Monterrey, Mexico, on March 1, 2022. (Photo by Monterrey Open / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT AFP PHOTO / MONTERREY OPEN - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS -DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

Is it fair to punish players for Russia's invasion of Ukraine?

Wimbledon has banned Russian and Belarusian players from competing at the tournament this year.

The decision was made by Wimbledon organisers, the All England Lawn Tennis Club, for the June-July tournament.

The UK Government flagged “alternative measures” to banning the players, including the requirement that Russian players sign a document condemning the Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

The All England Club “carefully considered” the government's suggestions but ultimately rejected them, Chairman Ian Hewitt was quoted as saying in the Club’s official statement.

Hewitt said he didn’t want the event to be used for political point scoring.

“Given the high profile environment of The Championships, the importance of not allowing sport to be used to promote the Russian regime and our broader concerns for public and player (including family) safety, we do not believe it is viable to proceed on any other basis,” he said.

Hewitt added it was sad they would "suffer for the actions of the leaders of the Russian regime".

The decision means World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev is excluded from playing.

Russia's Daniil Medvedev is gesturing in a match against Rafael Nadal here at the Australian Open, but you can imagine he would make this gesture at the All England Law Tennis Club too. Picture: Michael Errey/AFP

For now, Russian and Belarusian players are still able to compete at the French Open, which starts in May.

There were mixed responses to the All England Club's decision. 

Novak Djokovic told reporters in Belgrade after a Serbian Open win: “I cannot support the Wimbledon decision. It is crazy. It’s not the athletes’ fault”. 

He added: “When politics interferes with sport, it usually doesn’t turn out well”. Perhaps, a callback to his Australian Open immigration saga. 

Australia’s John Millman, currently World No. 80 slammed the decision as “optics” on Twitter.

“I’m in total support of Ukraine and its people. I just feel like Wimbledon is doing this more for their own gain, for good optics rather than to actually help," he said.

But Ukrainian tennis players all demanded more international sporting events ban Russian and Belarusian athletes going forward.

Ukrainian tennis players Elina Monfils and Lesia Tsurenko also supported the ban on social media.

Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina reacts in a tennis match against Russia´s tennis player Anastasia Potapova on March 1, a week after Russia invaded Ukraine. Elina won against Anastasia, by the way. Picture: Monterrey Open/AFP

The Wimbledon ban comes as Russian forces tighten their chokehold on the besieged Mariupol, and Ukraine’s remaining forces in a steel plant in the city's south-east.

A Ukrainian marine commander said the vastly outnumbered forces were "maybe facing our last days, if not hours". 

After a meeting with the Kremlin on Thursday morning, Russian defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, claimed that the city had been “liberated”.

The besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol on April 12. Picture: Alexander Nemeno/AFP

Yet Russian forces are still fighting thousands of Ukrainian troops at the steelworks, Shoigu admitted, and it would take several more days to defeat the Ukrainians.

Sporting events, viewed by millions the world over, are often used to collectively condemn a country's wrongdoing.

Recently, various countries including the US, UK, India and Australia formally boycotted the Beijing Winter Olympics games when they refused to send ministers or officials over. It was over China's human rights abuses against Uyghur minorities in the country.