Andy Murray says ‘no right answer’ on Wimbledon ban of Russian and Belarusian players, after Nadal calls it unfair
- Players from the two countries are barred from competing at this year’s grass court major in response to the war in Ukraine
- Nadal says ‘Russian team mates’ should not be blamed for invasion and players could take action over move
Rafa Nadal has called the ban on Russian and Belarusian players from this year’s Wimbledon over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine unfair.
The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) barred players from the two countries from competing at this year’s grass court major in response to the war in Ukraine. Belarus has been a key staging area for the invasion.
“I think it’s very unfair to my Russian tennis mates, my colleagues. In that sense it’s not their fault what’s happening in this moment with the war,” 21-times major winner Nadal said.
“Let’s see what happens in the next weeks, if the players will take some kind of decision ... there’s one thing that’s negative, there are things that are clear. When the government imposes some restrictions, you just have to follow them.”
AELTC Chairman Ian Hewitt said British government guidance did not allow players to compete at the event based on their rankings and there were two available options - declining entries or allowing entries but only with specific written declarations from individual players denouncing the war.
Britain’s former world number one Andy Murray said there was no right answer on the issue.
