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IPFS News Link • Entertainment: Sports

World's Top-Ranked Tennis Player May Need To Denounce Putin To Play At Wimbledon

• https://www.zerohedge.com by Tyler Durden

Medvedev, along with other Russian and Belarusian tennis players, has been competing as a 'neutral athlete' at the BNP Paribas Open this week in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine. But the UK Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston says this isn't enough, Eurosport reports.

Huddleston said Tuesday that the government is in talks with the All-England Lawn Tennis Club regarding their stance for Wimbledon (the tournament doesn't begin until June 27).

He added that "nobody flying the flag for Russia should be allowed" to play in the famous Grand Slam tournament. In fact, the ban should probably go "beyond that" and bar any Russians who refuse to denounce their president (something that could carry criminal penalties back in Russia). The Wimbledon organizers are reportedly having talks on the issue.

Tennis has so far stopped short of banning Russian players, however Russia have been banned from certain team competitions like the Davis Cup. Huddleston says the UK is looking at how to reach a "broad global consensus" with other countries about how Russian athletes should be treated.


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