Wimbledon to allow Russian and Belarusian players to compete this year

Wimbledon to allow Russian and Belarusian players to compete this year
# 01 April 2023 03:46 (UTC +04:00)

Wimbledon will accept entries from Russian and Belarusian players for this year's tournament if they agree to compete as neutral athletes and comply with "appropriate conditions," organizers announced Friday in a statement, APA reports citing CNN.

Russians and Belarusians were banned from competing at Wimbledon in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Wimbledon is the third grand slam event in the calendar year.

The ban resulted in the men's and women's professional tours -- the ATP and WTA -- and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) stripping Wimbledon of its ranking points.

Entry conditions for this year's event, one of tennis' four majors, include prohibiting "expressions of support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine," while players who receive funding from the Russian or Belarusian state will not be allowed to compete, including those receiving sponsorship from companies operated or controlled by them.

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THE OPERATION IS BEING PERFORMED