Players from both countries can compete as ‘neutral’ athletes if they meet certain conditions.
Wimbledon has lifted a suspension for Russian and Belarusian players, allowing them to compete in this year’s Grand Slam on the grass court as “neutral” athletes, following the response to Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Players from the two countries can participate in the July tournament if they meet certain conditions. These included refraining from voicing support for the invasion and not receiving government funding from their respective countries.
Competitors also cannot get sponsorship from state-owned or state-controlled companies, the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), which runs Wimbledon, said in a statement on Friday. The same conditions will apply to other UK tournaments.
“We continue to fully condemn the illegal invasion of Russia and our sincere support remains with the people of Ukraine,” said club president Ian Hewitt.
“This was an incredibly difficult decision, not taken lightly or with little regard for those who will be affected by it,” he said. “We believe that, taking all factors into consideration, this is the most appropriate arrangement for this year’s championships.”
Last year, Wimbledon banned players from Russia and Moscow-affiliated Belarus following the invasion of Ukraine, saying it was the only viable option under the direction of the British government.
Wimbledon and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), the UK’s governing body for the game, were heavily penalized after the heavy sanctions were imposed last year. Both bodies were fined and Wimbledon stripped of ranking points.
The tournament said this year’s terms have been negotiated with the government.
Britain’s culture minister, Lucy Frazer, said the government stood by its position that Russian and Belarusian athletes representing their countries should not be allowed to compete in domestic and international sporting competitions, but supported the All England Club’s approach.
“Individual, self-funded Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete in the UK, provided we follow our neutrality guidelines,” said Frazer.
“The AELTC and LTA should never have been fined by the international tennis tours for taking a principled stand against Russian aggression,” she added.
The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) applauded the decision. The governing bodies said a concerted effort was needed across the sport to arrive at a “workable solution” that protects the fairness of the game.
“We are delighted that all players will have the opportunity to participate in Wimbledon and LTA events this summer,” the unions said in a joint statement.
“This remains an extremely difficult situation and we would like to thank Wimbledon and the LTA for their efforts to achieve this result, while reiterating our unequivocal condemnation of Russia’s war against Ukraine,” the ATP and WTA said.
Wimbledon was the only Grand Slam to ban competitors from Russia and Belarus, which was a staging area for Kremlin troops entering Ukraine.
Players entered the tour as individual athletes with no national affiliation to the other majors.
Two Russians are in the top 10 of the men’s ranking: Daniil Medvedev (5) and Andrey Rublev (7).
Among women, Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka is second in the world. She won the Australian Open in January to become the first neutral Grand Slam champion. The Russian Daria Kasatkina is eighth in the world ranking.
Wimbledon runs from July 3-16.
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