Wimbledon tournament organizers on Friday described as “disproportionate” the decision made by the ATP and the WTA not to distribute ranking points during the British tennis grand slam lift, in case the exclusion of tennis players is maintained. Russian and Belarusian players.
If nothing changes, it is with deep regret and reluctance that we see no other option but to withdraw ATP points at Wimbledon for the 2022 edition., ATP announced in a press release. A position mimicked a few minutes later by the WTA.
The London tournament, which announced on April 20 that Russians and Belarusians would not be allowed to participate in this year’s event due to the invasion of Ukraine, announced their deep frustration and added that the denial of points is disproportionate in the context of the extraordinary and extreme circumstances of the situation.
The ATP, which manages the men’s professional tennis circuit, the WTA, which manages the women’s section, and the ITF, which runs junior and wheelchair tennis tournaments over two British weeks, ruled that this exception was contrary to principle. fundamental fairness between all players and that it discriminates on political grounds.
Our policies and agreements exist to protect the rights of all players. Unilateral decisions of this type […] set a destructive precedent for the rest of the circuit. The discrimination that the contests inflict on themselves is deliberately unsustainable in a circuit spanning more than 30 countries.asserted by ATP.
But the All England Club, which manages Wimbledon, said it took the only effective decision given the British government’s position aimed at limiting Russia’s external influence.
We deeply regret the consequences of this decision on the people concerned. However, due to the position taken by the British government to limit Russia’s external influence […]we continue to believe that we have made the only effective decision for Wimbledon as a well -known event and sporting institution in Britain, and we stand by that decision.said Wimbledon organizers in a statement.
As for the reaction of the ATP, WTA and ITF, they judge that these decisions are disproportionate in the context of the extraordinary and extreme circumstances of the situation and the position in which we find ourselves, and detrimental for all players present on the circuit.
The Wimbledon tournament is scheduled this year from June 27 to July 10.
Note that the four grand slam tournaments (the Australian and United States Open, Roland-Garros and Wimbledon) are not directly dependent on the ATP or the WTA.
To say that I failed in the ATP is a small statement, the reaction of former Ukrainian player Serhiy Stakhovsky, who returned to his country to fight. I don’t expect anyone to choose the side of invaders and murderers.
In addition, the ATP has specified that it will study possible penalties to be imposed on the British Tennis Federation.
Source: Radio-Canada
