The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) took a definitive stance when they banned Russian and Belarusian players from their events this year, and the WTA has fined them in response to that.
After the recommendation of the UK government, Wimbledon and the LTA have banned Russian and Belarusian tennis players from attending their events, including the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, which is one of the four Grand Slam tournaments.
That forced both Tours to react to the situation, with the WTA reacting to it by issuing fines. As organizations that are there to protect the players, there wasn’t much choice for the WTA, and this likely won’t be the last response either.
More punishments might come in the future, but for now, the LTA received the larger portion of the fine, amounting to £620,000, while the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club (AELTC) was fined £207,000.
The All England Club, which organizes Wimbledon, and the LTA plan to appeal the fines with the support of the British government, which responded angrily upon learning of the penalties.
In the end, it was the British government that instructed these events to impose the ban as the British government adopted a strong stance on the war in Ukraine. The UK government has now inserted itself into the mix as UK Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries defended the ban.
"Since February, the vast majority of the international sporting community have come together in solidarity to condemn Putin's barbaric actions in Ukraine. Regrettably, the international tennis federations appear determined to be outcasts in this."
"The LTA and Wimbledon should be praised for their move to make Russia an international sporting pariah, and doing what is right in the current circumstances."
The situation is still developing, with both sides trying to protect their own interests, which is, obviously, understandable.
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