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Andrei Rublev would have preferred a different approach from the Wimbledon organizers
Photo: ANDREJ CUKIC / EPA
Russia's night-ranked tennis player Andrei Rublev has criticized the decision to exclude Russians and Belarusians from Wimbledon because of the Ukraine war.
Rublev spoke of discrimination and reasons that "make no sense".
"Excluding Russians and Belarusians doesn't change anything," Rublev told the AFP news agency at the tournament in Belgrade, Serbia.
According to the organizers, the 24-year-old submitted his own proposal.
Accordingly, it would have had a greater effect if the prize money paid out at Wimbledon had been used for humanitarian aid.
The players should have at least been given a chance, Rublev said.
"We're not here to talk about politics because I don't know anything about it," Rublev said.
»In the end I'm Russian, I was born in Russia, I've lived in Russia all my life.
I just want to show that we're good people.' Rublev had written 'No War Please' on a camera lens at the tournament in Dubai, which he won.
The organizers announced on Wednesday that players from Russia and Belarus are not allowed to take part in the grass classic.
"We recognize that this is very hard for the individuals affected and it is sad that they are suffering for the actions of the leaders of the Russian regime," said Ian Hewitt, Chairman of the All England Club.
Actually under a neutral flag
The decision makes Wimbledon the first major tennis tournament to ban individual athletes from Russia and Belarus from an event due to the war of aggression against Ukraine.
Actually, the athletes are allowed to compete under a neutral flag.
The players' associations ATP and WTA, among others, criticized the step, the ATP called the decision "unfair" and warned of a "harmful precedent".
Mischa Zverev, Alexander Zverev's brother and manager, told SPIEGEL: "I don't know a single player who is for this war.
But still they will be punished now.«
One of the four Grand Slams of tennis, Wimbledon pays out millions of pounds in prize money every year.
In 2021, according to official figures, it was around 35 million pounds (almost 42 million euros).
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