No points at Wimbledon following the exclusion of Russians and Belarusians, a “disproportionate” decision

Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev during a match at Wimbledon in London, July 6, 2021. © Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

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The Wimbledon tournament, one of the Grand Slam tennis contests, will be downgraded to gala tournament status this year.

The ATP and WTA, the 'authorities' of the men's and women's circuits, have decided that no points will be distributed in the 2022 edition, as the British tournament has decided to exclude Russian and Belarusian players .

The organizers deplore this decision.

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With our correspondent in London,

Wimbledon organizers denounce a " 

 " decision, disconnected from the " 

 " context of this season.

In a press release published overnight from Friday to Saturday, the British tournament renews its choice not to integrate Russian or Belarusian players this year: in accordance with the position of the British government, so as not to risk the safety of players and staff , and especially not to allow the regimes of Moscow and Minsk to afford propaganda on the possible success of their players, including Daniil Medvedev, world number 2.

► To read also: Foot: Russia will challenge its suspension by Fifa and Uefa before the CAS

A "bad message"

The banishment of Russian and Belarusian players from Wimbledon had been widely criticized by the tennis world, among others by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

The grass tournament expresses its "

", and is concerned about the impact of the withdrawal of points on the players.

"

," the statement said.

The British Minister of Culture considers that excluding Wimbledon from the international rankings sends the “

”.

© RFI

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