The men's and women's tours both denounced the decision to ban players from the UK grass-court tournaments that were held in the lead-up to Wimbledon.
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In response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, the ATP fined the Lawn Tennis Association of Great Britain $1.6 million for barring male players from Russia and Belarus from this year’s summer grasscourt competitions. The men’s and women’s tours both denounced the decision to ban players from the UK grass-court tournaments that were held in the lead-up to Wimbledon, which was the first Grand Slam tournament to do so. “The LTA is deeply disappointed with this,” the LTA said in a statement.
“The ATP, in its finding, has shown no recognition of the exceptional circumstances created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, or the international sporting community and UK Government’s response to that invasion.”
The “unilateral decision” by Wimbledon to bar players from Russia and Belarus was unfair, according to the ATP, and it might have negative ramifications for the sport as a whole. The majority of the world’s athletes stood “shoulder to shoulder” in condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, according to UK Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan.
“The UK has taken a world-leading role to build this international response,” Donelan said. “We are clear that sport cannot be used to legitimise this deadly invasion, and that athletes representing the Russian or Belarusian states should be banned from competing in other countries.
“Despite widespread condemnation, the international tennis tours are determined to be outcasts in this, with investment in the growth of our domestic game hampered as a result. This is the wrong move by the ATP and WTA. I urge them to think carefully about the message this sends and to reconsider.”
