Russian and Belarusian tennis players will not be allowed to compete in Wimbledon, the third grand slam tournament of the year, this summer, the All England Club announced Wednesday. The Guardian reported the decision earlier in the day.
The English tournament announced a ban of Russian and Belarusian players, a decision that no other ATP or WTA tournaments have done.
“Given the profile of The Championships in the United Kingdom and around the world, it is our responsibility to play our part in the widespread efforts of Government, industry, sporting and creative institutions to limit Russia’s global influence through the strongest means possible,” the announcement reads.