Wimbledon ban on Russian and Belarusian players must remain – Elina Svitolina

Russian and Belarusian athletes must be banned from this year’s Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics while “innocent Ukrainians are still being killed”, says Ukrainian player Elina Svitolina.

The International Olympic Committee is “exploring a pathway” to allow Russians and Belarusians to compete in 2024.

“The war is still there. The decision should not be any different,” said 2019 Wimbledon semi-finalist Svitolina.

The All England Lawn and Tennis Club, which organises Wimbledon, has not yet said if it intends to maintain its ban on Russian and Belarusian players at this year’s tournament.

Both the AELTC and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) were fined for banning players last year and the tournament had its ranking points removed.

Belarusian Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka has previously said “no-one supports war”, but added she had “zero control” over Belarusian politics and “cannot do anything” to stop the war.

Russian world number five Andrey Rublev, who appealed for peace last year by writing ‘no war please’ on a television camera after a match, said another Wimbledon ban “would be the worst for tennis”.

“I hope they will do the same thing and keep the ban in place. I don’t think it should change,” former world number three Svitolina, who is starting her comeback from maternity leave, told BBC Sport.

“There are still people suffering and still Russian soldiers killing innocent Ukrainians.”

‘The neutral flag is not changing anything’

The IOC announced last week that it would consider allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in Paris 2024 under a neutral flag, saying “no athlete should be prevented from competing just because of their passport”.

Ukraine has threatened to boycott the Olympics if it happens. Up to 40 countries could join them, said Poland’s sport and tourism minister Kamil Bortniczuk

“I don’t think the neutral flag is changing anything,” said Svitolina, who won a bronze medal in the women’s singles at the 2020 Olympics.

“I see a lot of comments that sport should be out of politics but Russian sport is a big part of their politics.

“Hopefully we don’t have to make this [boycott] decision because this would be sending a wrong message.”