Tennis, Wimbledon: exclusion of Russians and Belarusians costs organizers dearly

Heavy fine imposed by ATP on LTA, the British tennis federation

The ATP has decided to financially sanction the Lawn Tennis Association, i.e., the British tennis federation, for the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian tennis players from the Wimbledon tournament held last summer. The fine, as reported by the Reuters international news agency, amounts to 820 thousand pounds: at the December 7 exchange rate, the figure corresponds to 953,160 euros.

For the body that regulates the men’s international professional circuit, the decision to exclude Russian and Belarusian tennis players should not be repeated in 2023: the risk is to see the British tournament, one of the four most important of the season, cancelled from the ATP Tour.

LTA responded, in a brief note, challenging the ATP’s decision and complaining of “lack of empathy towards Ukraine.” “This is not a lack of respect for the rules,” the British tennis top brass argued. “There are exceptional elements that should be taken into account.