Wimbledon readmits Russians and Belarusians but dictates conditions

Wimbledon welcomes back athletes from Russia and Belarus

After the controversy of 2022, the organizers of the Wimbledon tournament, the third slam of the season, have officially backtracked regarding their stance on the presence of female tennis players from Russia and Belarus: athletes such as Daniil Medvedev or Aryna Sabalenka, to give two examples, will therefore be able to take part in the tournament on London’s grass as neutrals, but without formally representing their home countries.

“On behalf of the All England Club and the tournament’s organizing committee, we would like to provide an update on the entries for this year’s championships,” reads the note circulated on the Wimbledon tournament’s official channels. “Our choice is to accept entries from Russian and Belarusian players on the condition that they compete as neutral athletes and meet appropriate conditions.

The conditions, in addition to not representing their country’s flag, include not expressing support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and not receiving funding from Russia or Belarus, including sponsorship from companies run or controlled by the two states, in connection with their participation in the tournament.