The exclusion of Russian and Belarusian tennis players decided by the organizers of the Wimbledon tournament perplexes the British former number 1 in the world Andy Murray, who speaking from Madrid, where he will debut tonight in the Masters 1000, has explained that he is "on everyone's side," even players who can't play, and I don't support one side or the other. "
"I do not support the exclusion - he added - but there is no right answer" to this situation.
"I understood that Russians and Belarusians could play if they signed a declaration of being against the war and against the Russian regime - said the Scotsman -. I talked to some Russian players and I talked to some Ukrainian players. I'm sorry. really for those who are not allowed to play and I understand that it will seem unfair to them. But I am also sorry for the people who work at Wimbledon and I know how difficult the position they have found themselves in. "
Many colleagues have criticized the choice of the British Federtennis and the All England Club, among them Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal.
The Spaniard, a member of the AFP players' council, considered the announcement "very unfair to my colleagues: what is their fault for what is happening with the war? I'm sorry for them and I wish it were not so".
On social media came the reply of Ergiy Stakhovsky, the former Ukrainian tennis player who returned home and took up a weapon to defend his country from the Russian invasion: "Please tell me if it is also unfair that Ukrainian tennis players do not may they go home, that Ukrainian children cannot play tennis and if it is right that the Ukrainians are dying ".
