Novak Djokovic slams Wimbledon call to ban Russian stars - 'It's not the athletes' fault'

Novak Djokovic has slammed the decision to ban all Russian and Belarusian players from the Wimbledon Grand Slam this summer. Tournament organisers announced the move on Wednesday, which was taken to avoid the possibility of Vladimir Putin claiming a PR victory if a star from his homeland were to win one of the world's most prestigious sporting competitions.

The announcement confirmed that the likes of men's number two Daniil Medvedev and Aryna Sabalenka, ranked fourth in the women's game, would not be able to show up at the All England Club in June. They have also been told they cannot take part in any warm-up events on UK soil, though there is the potential of legal action from those players who will miss out on cash and ranking points.

Following his Serbia Open victory against fellow countryman Laslo Djere, Djokovic was asked about the decision. The world number one, who is defending champion at the tournament, made it clear that he was fully against the move.

"I will always be the first one to condemn the war," he told reporters in Belgrade. "As a child of war, I know what kind of emotional trauma a war leaves. Us in Serbia, we know what was happening here in 1999.

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"Ordinary people always suffer - we've had lots of wars in the Balkans. That being said, I cannot support the Wimbledon decision. It's not the athletes' fault. When politics interfere with sport, it usually doesn't turn out well."

Explaining the decision, a statement from Wimbledon organisers said: "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