Djokovic slams ‘crazy’ Wimbledon ban on Russian, Belarusian players

IMAGE: Novak Djokovic stated the athletes had nothing to do with the continued battle. {Photograph}: Mike Segar/Reuters

World primary Novak Djokovic stated Wimbledon’s determination to ban Russian and Belarusian gamers over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine is “loopy”.

Wimbledon introduced on Wednesday that it had barred all Russian and Belarusian gamers from this yr’s championships because of the invasion, which Russia calls a “particular operation”.

The grasscourt Grand Slam is the primary tennis event to ban particular person opponents from the 2 international locations, which means males’s world quantity two Daniil Medvedev from Russia and ladies’s fourth-ranked Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus will probably be banned from the June 27-July 10 event.

Djokovic, who grew up in war-torn Serbia, stated the athletes had nothing to do with the continued battle.

“I’ll all the time condemn battle, I’ll by no means help battle being myself a baby of battle,” Djokovic informed reporters on the Serbia Open, an ATP 250 occasion in Belgrade.

“I understand how a lot emotional trauma it leaves. In Serbia everyone knows what occurred in 1999. Within the Balkans we have now had many wars in current historical past.

“Nonetheless, I can not help the choice of Wimbledon, I believe it’s loopy.”

“When politics interferes with sport, the end result is just not good.”

The All England Garden Tennis Membership’s (AELTC) determination has been criticized by the ATP and WTA excursions.

The transfer is the primary time gamers have been banned on the grounds of nationality because the quick post-World Conflict Two period when German and Japanese gamers have been excluded.

The AELTC stated it might “think about and reply accordingly” if circumstances change between now and June.