Ukrainian foreign minister says Wimbledon lacks ‘courage’ as they have ‘handed’ Vladimir Putin victory

Dmytro Kuleba urges UK government to ban Russian players and accuses Wimbledon of lacking courage

Ukrainian foreign minister says Wimbledon lacks ‘courage’ as they have ‘handed’ Vladimir Putin victory

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Kate Middleton, the Royal patron of the AELTC

Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, has criticized the Wimbledon tennis officials, claiming that they have given a win to Putin by allowing Russian players to participate in the upcoming tournament. He has urged the UK government to prohibit the entry of Russian players into the country, which would lead to the exclusion of players such as Daniil Medvedev and Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus.

Dmytro Kuleba accused Wimbledon’s organizers of lacking the courage for allowing Russian players to participate in the tournament. He questioned the reason for the reversal of last year’s “noble” decision to ban Russian players and wondered what had changed since then. Kuleba expressed his country’s feeling of being deceived by the decision and warned that Russia and Belarus, its ally, would perceive it as a sign that Western opposition to their invasion was beginning to weaken.

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He said: “Last year, Wimbledon took the difficult but noble decision to bar competitors from Russia and Belarus. “[The] organisers deserve credit for doing the right thing. What has changed since? Not much…We should not hand Putin wins.”

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Kuleba suggested that the UK government should deny visas to Russian players as a means of opposing Wimbledon’s decision. He stated that if the tournament’s organizers lacked the courage to take a stand, the government of London could step in and prevent the players from entering the country.

Also Read: Andy Murray requests the ATP and WTA to understand the ‘perspective’ of Ukrainians as Wimbledon lifts its ban on Russians

Anastasia Potapova comments on Wimbledon’s neutrality statements

Anastasia Potapova
Anastasia Potapova (Credits: Twitter)

Anastasia Potapova, a Russian tennis player, has expressed her opinion that Wimbledon’s declaration requirement would not make any difference. She commented on the strict conditions that players from Russia and Belarus must adhere to in order to participate in the upcoming tournament. Potapova, who was recently criticized for wearing a Spartak Moscow shirt during a match in Indian Wells, has also addressed the controversy surrounding her actions.

Wimbledon has recently revealed that Russian players would be permitted to participate in the tournament this year, following a ban in 2022. However, their participation would be subject to stringent requirements, such as signing declarations of neutrality, pledging not to express support for the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, and agreeing not to receive financial support from either the Russian or Belarusian governments.

Anastasia Potapova, who is 22 years old, stated that she did not support the war and was uncertain about the effectiveness of the declarations. She commented that the declarations would not bring the conflict to an end or create any change. Potapova also stated that she has already expressed her opinion on the matter and, like any sensible individual, is against what is happening.

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