Last year, the AELTC banned Russian and Belarusian tennis players from one of the tennis world's most anticipated championships, Wimbledon, due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Announcing that it lifted the ban with its press release yesterday, AELTC said, "Our current goal is to accept the applications of Russian and Belarusian tennis players to compete as 'impartial' athletes and to comply with the conditions."
The AELTC emphasized that the conditions for participation are the absence of various forms of support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the absence of sponsorship from the states of Russia and/or Belarus (including sponsorship of state-run or controlled companies).
4 TENNIS AT THE TOP 10 IN THE WORLD RANKING CAN PARTICIPATE
Officials stated that they talked to the UK government and international tennis organizations while making this decision. With the decision, Russian trio Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Daria Kasatkina and women's world number 2 Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka will participate in the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE TERMS ARE VIOLATION?
It was emphasized that tennis players and support personnel will sign a 'statement of neutrality' to participate in the tournaments, and that in case of non-compliance with the declaration, various penalties can be applied, from fines to expulsion from the tournament.