Wimbledon: Russian and Belarusian players set to return

After being barred last year in the immediate aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian players are set to return to Wimbledon in 2023 as the tournament falls into line with tennis' other Grand Slams.

Players such as men's world number three Daniil Medvedev (Russia) and women's world number two Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) will be able to compete as neutrals and will not be allowed to "wear or be seen with any item containing an image, symbol, flag, insignia or emblem" which might indicate support for either regime.

Their participation is dependent on them signing a personal declaration of neutrality and a commitment not to express support for Russia's ongoing invasion nor for Russian president Vladimir Putin or his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko.

Wimbledon 'continues to condemn invasion'

According to BBC Sport, the language of the declaration was strengthened last month to add that players may also not receive funding from either the Russian or Belarusian states, or from organizations controlled by sanctioned individuals.

"We continue to condemn totally Russia's illegal invasion and our wholehearted support remains with the people of Ukraine," said Ian Hewitt, Chairman of the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), which organizes Wimbledon, at the end of March.

"This was an incredibly difficult decision, not taken lightly or without a great deal of consideration for those who will be impacted."

Wimbledon has also banned its merchandise from being sold in Russia and Belarus.

Russia-born champion Rybakina welcomes decision

Reigning women's champion Elena Rybakina, who was born in Moscow but took on Kazakhstan citizenship in 2018, said she thought it was "the right decision."

She explained: "[Russian and Belarusian athletes] have been playing at all the other tournaments and [Wimbledon] was the only Grand Slam not allowing them to play, so I think they should be able to play without their flags."

Wimbledon was the only Grand Slam to issue an outright ban on Russian and Belarusian players last year, with the tournament coming just four months after Russian troops used Belarusian territory to launch their invasion of northern Ukraine.

Despite criticism from the men's ATP Tour, the women's WTA Tour and some individual players, the AELTC stuck by its decision, saying that it did not want potential Russian or Belarusian sporting success at Wimbledon to "benefit the propaganda machine of the Russian regime," and insisting it was in line with the UK government's efforts to "limit Russia's global influence."

The decision saw the AELTC and Britain's Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) fined a combined $2m and saw Wimbledon stripped of its official ranking points by the ATP and WTA Tours, effectively reducing the tournament to a glorified exhibition event.

Men's champion Novak Djokovic, who had previously been unable to compete in the Australian Open after being deported from Australia due to his refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19, labeled the ban "crazy," and has since called for Russian and Belarusian players to be reinstated.

"I hope … Russian and Belarusian players will be able to play everywhere," the Serbian said in January. Rafael Nadal also called the ban "very unfair."

Ukraine calls Wimbledon decision 'immoral'

But there has been criticism of the decision to lift the ban, with Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba saying it was "immoral" and urged Britain to deny Russian and Belarusian players visas.

Similarly, world number one Iga Swiatek of Poland said the sport had missed an opportunity to send a strong message to Moscow by failing to impose a blanket ban on players from Russia and Belarus.

Wimbledon said it would meet all of the accommodation costs of Ukrainian players during the tournament and that one pound sterling ($1.17) will be donated to Ukraine relief efforts for every ticket sold – amounting to around £500,000 ($635,550).

Last year, Ukrainian number one Anhelina Kalinina, seeded 26th in this year's women's draw, donated her prize money to her parents, whose house in the Kyiv suburb of Irpin had been damaged by the Russian assault.

Other Russian players returning to the championships this year include men's world number seven Andrey Rublev, and women's seeds Daria Kasatkina, Veronika Kudermetova, Liudmila Samsonova, Ekaterina Alexandrova and Anastasia Potapova.

Belarusian star Victoria Azarenka is also in the draw. The former two-time winner took to Twitter in the weeks following the Russian invasion, partly from her native Belarus, saying: 

"I'm devastated by the actions that have taken place over the last several days against and in Ukraine. It's heartbreaking to see how many innocent people have been affected and continue to be affected by such violence.

"Since my early childhood, I have always seen and experienced Ukrainian and Belarusian people, as well as both nations, friendly and supportive of one another. It is hard to witness the violent separation that is currently taking place instead of supporting and finding compassion for each other."

Edited by Jonathan Harding