Wimbledon defends player ban as Djokovic is given green light for SW19

Wimbledon chiefs have denied the decision to decline the entries of Russian and Belarusian players to this year’s championships in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was an act of discrimination, a charge made against the All England Club by both the WTA and ATP tours.

“It is not discrimination in the form that is being said,” said Ian Hewitt, chairman of the All England Club, after being asked repeatedly about the statements from the other governing bodies in the wake of the ban. “It is a considered view reached as to what is the right and responsible decision in all circumstances.”

While there will be no Russian or Belarusian players, Novak Djokovic will officially be able to defend his title at Wimbledon after the AELTC confirmed that mandatory vaccination will not be a feature of the championships this year.

At the annual spring press briefing at the All England Club, normally an uneventful outlining of changes for the upcoming Wimbledon tournament, Hewitt and Sally Bolton, the AELTC chief executive, were tasked with explaining their decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players. They said they had no choice but to come to what was “an extremely difficult decision and painful decision”.

According to the AELTC, their decision rested on limiting Russia’s global influence and they opted to work within the government guidance provided to them. “The UK government has set out directional guidance for sporting bodies and events in the UK, with the specific aim of limiting Russia’s influence,” Hewitt said. “We have taken that directional guidance into account, as we must as a high-profile event and leading British institution.”

In addition to the ban on players, Wimbledon will not accept accreditation requests from