LTA fined $1million for Russian and Belarusian Wimbledon ban
ATP & WTAWednesday, 07 December 2022 at 18:00
Updated at Wednesday, 07 December 2022 at 17:58
The governing body of UK tennis
has been slapped with a $1million fine by the ATP its summer ban on Russian and
Belarusian players earlier this year.
Reports also suggest the Lawn
Tennis Association (LTA) has been threatened with expulsion from the Tour if it
repeats the ban, imposed earlier this year due to the Russian invasion of
Ukraine
Russians and Belarusians were
controversially prevented from competing at the LTA’s five ATP events; Queen’s
Club, Eastbourne, Surbiton, Nottingham and Ilkley.
The All England Club (AELTC)
also banned them from playing at Wimbledon, which was subsequently stripped of
its ranking points by the ATP and the WTA.
The WTA had also issued a
$1million fine ($750,000 to the LTA and £250,000 to the AELTC) which Britain’s
governing body of tennis has appealed against.
The LTA said it is considering
its response to the latest sanction and accused the ATP of a “lack of empathy”
over the situation in Ukraine.
A statement read: “The
LTA is deeply disappointed with this outcome. The ATP, in its finding, has
shown no recognition of the exceptional circumstances created by Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine, or the international sporting community and UK
Government’s response to that invasion.
“The ATP appear to
regard this matter as a straightforward breach of their rules – with a
surprising lack of empathy shown for the situation in Ukraine, and a clear lack
of understanding of the unique circumstances the LTA faced.
“The financial impact of
both this fine and the WTA’s fine will have a material impact on the LTA’s
ability to develop and host tennis in this country.
“For example, we had
intended to host a number of ATP Challenger level events to give more
opportunities to lower ranked players in the first quarter of 2023 and will now
not be able to do this, particularly given the possibility of further fines.
“We will carefully
consider our response and we await the outcome of our appeal against the WTA’s
decision and sanction.”
The UK Government’s Culture
Secretary Michelle Donelan waded into the row, urging the ATP and WTA to
reconsider.
“Over the past year, the
vast majority of the international sporting community have stood shoulder to
shoulder in condemning Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked and barbaric actions in
Ukraine,” said Donelan.
“The UK has taken a
world-leading role to build this international response. We are clear that
sport cannot be used to legitimise this deadly invasion, and that athletes
representing the Russian or Belarusian states should be banned from competing
in other countries.
“Despite widespread
condemnation, the international tennis tours are determined to be outcasts in
this, with investment in the growth of our domestic game hampered as a result.
“This is the wrong move
by the ATP and WTA. I urge them to think carefully about the message this
sends, and to reconsider.”
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