Kyiv urges UK to ban the entry of Russian and Belarusian players in the oldest Tennis tournament in the world

Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, expressed his strong disapproval of Wimbledon’s decision to allow Russian and Belarusian players to compete in the prestigious tennis tournament, calling it ‘immoral.’ He called on the UK government to deny visas to players from these two countries. Kuleba stated that Russia has not ceased its aggression and atrocities, and that allowing their players to participate in Wimbledon is tantamount to accommodating ‘two accomplices in crime.’ He made this statement on social media.

Wimbledon announced earlier in the day that it plans to lift the ban on Russian and Belarusian players for this year’s tournament, subject to conditions. If they do compete, they will have to do so as neutral athletes and will be barred from expressing support for Russia’s ongoing offensive in Ukraine or receiving funding from Russia or Belarus.

Last year, players from these two nations were not allowed to participate in Wimbledon due to concerns that the Russian regime might derive undue benefits from the competition, given its ‘unjustified and unprecedented military aggression.’ The All England Club and the Committee of Management of The Championships issued a joint statement at the time.

The Chairman of the All England Club, Ian Hewitt, had expressed concerns about the safety of the public and players. On Friday, he reiterated Wimbledon’s condemnation of Russia’s illegal invasion and stated that the decision to allow Russian and Belarusian players to compete in the tournament was not taken lightly. Despite the difficulties and the impact on those affected, he believed that these were the most appropriate arrangements for this year’s championship.

In summary, Ukraine’s foreign minister has criticized Wimbledon’s decision to permit Russian and Belarusian players to compete in the tournament, calling it immoral and urging the UK government to deny visas to these players. Wimbledon has lifted the ban on these players for this year’s tournament but with strict conditions, and the Chairman of the All England Club has emphasized the difficulty of the decision and the continued condemnation of Russia’s aggression.