There was no sensible alternative to the closure of Russians and Belarusians, says the chairman of the All England Club, which organizes Wimbledon. Permission to participate was considered based on an anti-war statement.
The organizers of the Wimbledon tennis tournament responded on Tuesday with criticism of the closure of Russians and Belarusians, saying there was no “viable alternative” to the closure decision. The closure decision has been opposed by the tennis umbrella organizations ATP and WTA, as well as, of course, by players closed for tournaments in England.
The closure decision was made with the support of Belarus, which launched a war of aggression in Ukraine.
Chairman of the All England Club (AELTC), which organizes English grass field tournaments Ian Hewitt advocates a carefully considered decision that follows the recommendations of the British government.
– We considered options for a long time. In practice, there were two, namely a lockout or an anti-war statement to allow individual players to participate, Hewitt explained the solution.
– We weighed the factors related to the alternatives and after careful consideration we came to a conclusion.
Strong reasoning in the closure decision
Hewitt raised two key points.
“If we had accepted Russian or Belarusian players into the tournament based on a written anti-war statement, the propaganda machinery of the Russian administration could have continued to capitalize on their potential success,” Hewitt continued.
– Secondly, it is our duty to make sure that we do not endanger (with an anti-war statement) players or their families.
Hewitt estimated that the closure decision was the “most responsible option” for which there was ultimately no “viable option.”
The barrier will reduce the number of participants, among others Daniil Medvedevin, Andrei Rublevin, Arina Sabalenkan and Viktoria Azarenkan. The blockade also applies to the Russian media.
Djokovic describes lock as “crazy”
Of the players, Rublev condemned the decision as discriminatory. Serbian star defending Wimbledon tournament championship Novak Djokovic condemned the decision as “crazy.”
The ATP and WTA also strongly surprised the International Olympic Committee’s decision to close the IOC was surprisingly sharp. The organizations argued that the rules require players participating in the tournament to be screened based on the organizations ’ranking points.
The ATP and WTA have even threatened that no ranking points will be awarded from the traditional Wimbledon tournament this time around.
Russian and Belarusian players can participate in ATP and WTA tournaments played outside the UK without national codes, but both countries that participated in the offensive war are excluded from cross-country cup competitions.
The AELTC will continue to explore with the British government whether Russian coaches can participate in tournaments organized by the association.