Players from Russia and Belarus will be able to compete at the Wimbledon Tennis Open as neutral athletes in 2023, with All England Club officials overturning a ban imposed on them last year on Friday.
Players will be required to sign declarations of neutrality and abide by “appropriate terms”, including not expressing support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“It was an incredibly difficult decision, one that was not taken lightly or without showing great consideration for those who will be affected,” All England Club chairman Ian Hewitt said in a statement.
Players will not be able to receive funding from the Russian and Belarusian states, including sponsorship from companies operated or controlled by these states.
The list of players affected includes Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, the 2023 Australian Open tennis champion, as well as Russians Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev.
Other tennis tournaments have allowed Russian and Belarusian players to compete as neutral athletes.
“We also consider that the alignment between Grand Slam tournaments is increasingly important in the current tennis environment,” the club said.
The same conditions will apply for UK Tennis Federation tournaments players attend in preparation for the Wimbledon Open, the oldest of the four Grand Slam tournaments and the only one played on grass.
In a joint statement, officials from the ATP and WTA, which oversee the men’s and women’s professional circuits, respectively, expressed their satisfaction with the decision.
“We are happy that all players can participate in Wimbledon and other LTA (Lawn Tennis Association – British Tennis Federation) tournaments this summer,” reacted the leaders of the two bodies.
This year, the Wimbledon tournament will begin on July 3, with the women’s final scheduled for July 15 and the men’s final on July 16.
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With contributions from Ken Maguire, Associated Press.