The All England Club has confirmed that Wimbledon will not be broadcast in Russia or Belarus this year despite lifting a ban on players from the two nations. The AELTC and LTA will also be donating more than £500,000 to Ukrainian relief efforts and paying for accommodation for Ukrainian players during the entire grass court season. It comes as Russian and Belarusian players have already started signing strict declarations to be allowed to compete.
Russian and Belarusian media outlets will not be given broadcast rights to Wimbledon despite having players from their nations allowed to return this year. Last month it was announced that players from the two nations would no longer be banned from The Championships and all British grass-court tournaments this summer.
But their return comes with strict conditions, as all players are required to sign declarations confirming that they will play as neutrals, will not show any support for the war and the two regimes, and will not receive funding from the state or closely-related businesses. And AELTC Chief Executive Sally Bolton confirmed that players had already started signing the agreements.
“I wouldn’t share the detail of who has signed them but a number of players have already signed them in and are engaged in planning on competing at the Championships,” she said during Wimbledon’s spring press conference.
Players from the two nations have been able to sign the declarations since Wimbledon announced the decision on 31 March, and have until the entry deadline to agree to the strict terms. Bolton also said consultations showed that players wanted the choice of a declaration following last year’s ban, adding: “So at this point, we have given the players the choice to sign the declaration, we’ve spent a significant amount of time engaging with those players to ensure that they fully understand what they’re signing up to.”
But the club is still taking a number of measures to show support for Ukraine after Chairman Ian Hewitt stated that there was a “total condemnation” of the war despite the decision. Along with the LTA, there will be £1 per ticket sold for The Championships this year being donated to the Ukraine relief fund, something Hewitt says “will result in a contribution of more than half a million pounds.”
Ukrainian players will also have their accommodation costs covered for two rooms during the entire grass court season, as the AELTC Chairman continued: “For the Ukrainian players, the All England Club and the LTA will fund the accommodation costs of two rooms for all Main Draw and Qualifying players for the entirety of the grass court season.”
Ukrainian players will also be given the same practice court privileges as top 10 singles players. “Those players will also be offered the opportunity to practise at either the All England Club’s courts or via the LTA at the Surbiton courts between their last match at Roland Garros and the Saturday prior to Qualifying week at Wimbledon,” Hewitt said.
And Wimbledon has already changed their guidelines to avoid potential protests after the Australian Open was marred by an incident in which pro-Putin protesters brought a Russian flag and Z t-shirt onto the grounds. “Our grounds entry terms and conditions have been updated for this year, and that will prohibit any Russian or Belarusian flags being brought into the grounds – as well as any other symbols or signs of support for the war or the to regimes,” Bolton explained.
“Our security arrangements are amended each year alongside a threatened risk assessment if you like. And so the gate teams will be well briefed on what can and can’t come into the grounds.”
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