Wimbledon’s 2022 ban of Russians and Belarusians was a display of “gross arrogance” ATP Player Council member John Millman writes.
A year ago, Wimbledon banned all Russians and Belarusians in condemnation of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of neighboring Ukraine. In a column he wrote for News.com.au, Millman called out the grass-court Grand Slam for what he called an arrogant decision.
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“Wimbledon usually always puts on a great tournament, but I felt they clearly missed the mark last year,” Millman wrote. “Without players there is no tournament and banning more than fifty tennis stars without any consultation was a display of gross arrogance.”
A sign of that “arrogance” is Millman’s claim that Wimbledon made it’s decision with “zero consultation to the Players Council, the ATP, WTA or even a conversation with those about to be banned.”
Millman also writes a top Russian player offered to play doubles with a Ukrainian Aat Wimbledon and that several Russians and Belarusians agreed to sign a document stating they don’t support Putin’s war.
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