Tennis: Russia

(asked on 10th March 2022) - View Source

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to help prohibit all Russian players from the Wimbledon Tennis Championship 2022.


Answered by
Nigel Huddleston Portrait
Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
This question was answered on 18th March 2022

Russia’s assault on Ukraine is an unprovoked, premeditated and barbaric attack against a sovereign democratic state. President Putin must not be allowed to exploit major sporting and cultural events on the world stage to seek to legitimise his regime’s invasion.

In response, the UK Government, alongside 36 other nations, issued a joint statement calling on international sporting federations to endorse the principles that:

  • Russia and Belarus should not be permitted to host, bid for or be awarded any international sporting events.

  • Individual athletes selected by Russia and Belarus, administrators and teams representing the Russian or Belarusian state should be banned from competing in other countries, including those representing bodies, cities or brands that are effectively representing Russia or Belarus, such as major football clubs.

  • Wherever possible, appropriate actions should be taken to limit sponsorship and other financial support from entities with links to the Russian or Belarusian states.

The issue of Russian or Belarusian individual sports persons participating in a truly neutral capacity - in the UK and overseas - adds further complexity, and our position will have the greatest impact if it is taken in line with other nations.

We are engaging with national governing bodies, including the All England Lawn Tennis Club, and international counterparts in order to reach an agreed position that can be implemented as consistently as possible.

Reticulating Splines