Wimbledon Reverses Ban on Russian, Belarusian Players

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Facts

• The All England Club (AELTC) has lifted a ban imposed last year on Russian and Belarusian players at Wimbledon, it was announced Friday. Their participation will be subject to a number of conditions, including that they feature as 'neutral athletes.'¹
• Although the players will now be allowed to compete in July's Grand Slam, they must refrain from expressing support for the invasion of Ukraine and will be restricted from receiving funding from their home governments.²
• Reaction to AELTC's decision last year to sanction the athletes was excessively hostile. Wimbledon was stripped of its rankings points for the first time since the ladder was introduced, while hefty fines were issued to the Lawn Tennis Association for following the AELTC's example.³
• A statement released by the LTA explained that the decision had also resulted in 'the real prospect of the termination of our membership' from the ATP and WTA tours if the ban had continued into 2023. Although the LTA stated it had 'opposed' the sanctions against it, '[t]he effect on British tennis of the LTA being expelled from the tours would be very damaging and far reaching for the game in our country.'⁴
• Ukraine's foreign minister has responded to the news, saying Wimbledon's decision was 'immoral' considering that Russia hasn't 'ceased its aggression or atrocities.' FM Dmytro Kuleba also urged the UK not to issue the athletes with visas to enter the country.⁵
• According to AELTC chair Ian Hewitt, the organization will not hesitate to respond if circumstances concerning the conflict change between now and the start of the tournament on July 3.⁶

Sources: ¹BBC News, ²Al Jazeera, ³The telegraph, ⁴Times, ⁵Sky news and ⁶Reuters.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Usa today. The AELTC still totally condemns the illegal invasion of Ukraine and stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian people. However, careful consideration of all factors has concluded that a reversal of this ban is the most appropriate course of action at this time. Russian and Belarusian athletes — some of whom do not even support the invasion — should not be punished for the Kremlin's decisions.
• Narrative B, as provided by Bbc news. It is crucial that Russian and Belarusian athletes continue to be banned from Wimbledon for as long as innocent Ukrainians are being killed. The situation in Ukraine is the same as it was when this ban was imposed; as nothing has changed on the ground, nothing should change with the AELTC. It is crucial that Wimbledon uses its far-reaching brand and platform to show solidarity with Kyiv.