(Paris) The ATP and the WTA are threatening the British Tennis Federation (LTA) to suspend all of its tournaments on the men’s and women’s circuits if Russian and Belarusian players, banned from participating in 2022, are not allowed to play them. next year, the LTA said on Wednesday.
In addition, the ATP fined the LTA $1 million for last summer’s exclusion of Russian and Belarusian players in retaliation for the war in Ukraine. This fine corresponds to a distribution by tranches of 200,000 dollars for the five tournaments concerned (Queen’s, Eastbourne, as well as the Challengers of Surbiton, Nottingham, and Ilkley).
For its part, the WTA imposed a fine of 750,000 dollars on the LTA (for its tournaments in Nottingham, Birmingham and Eastbourne), and one of 250,000 dollars on the All England Lawn Tennis Club, which organizes Wimbledon.
The LTA, “deeply disappointed”, blames the ATP for its “astonishing lack of empathy for the situation in Ukraine and a clear lack of understanding of the unique circumstances it faces”.
“We will prepare our response and await the outcome of our appeal against the WTA’s decision and sanction,” the LTA statement added.
In the evening, the ATP for its part told AFP “to maintain its position”.
“We believe the action taken protects the long-term future of our sport and our commitment to the merit-based participation system, without discrimination,” the ATP said.
The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, accused the British government of going against the Olympic Charter, which guarantees the political neutrality of his institution.
“Making a decision, a political decision about sports competitions is clearly not in line with the resolutions and commitments (of the Charter) and is not in line with the mission of international sport,” the leader said. German on Wednesday following a meeting of the IOC Executive Board in Lausanne.
“Governments should not decide for political reasons who should or should not participate in a particular sporting event,” Bach continued. “Participation in sporting events must be based on sporting merit and not on political considerations,” he insisted.
Wimbledon, which is independent of both the ATP and the WTA, has also refused Russian and Belarusian players this year. In response, the ATP and the WTA had decided not to award any ranking points to the Major on grass, which is not affected by the sanctions and fines aimed at the LTA.
