WTA head Simon says we should not ban players over the Ukraine crisis

WTA head Simon says we should not ban players over the Ukraine crisis. 

Concerns that players from Russia and Belarus may be barred from competing in tournaments have prompted WTA President Steve Simon to say that individual sportsmen should not be punished for “authoritarian leadership actions.”

Following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Belarus was a vital staging location. As a result, Russian and Belarusian players can compete on the elite ATP and WTA Tours, but not under their countries’ names or flags.

As a result of a “special military operation,” Russia has been barred from defending its Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup team titles.

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Individual athletes have been banned from Russia and Belarus in several sports, and Simon said he didn’t know what else was in store for tennis players.

Simon told the BBC, “You never know what the future holds.” “However, I can assure you that we have never barred athletes from participating in our tour because of political opinions taken by their leadership.”

“It would take something substantial to change that, but we have no idea where this is headed.”

If Daniil Medvedev wants to compete in this year’s Wimbledon, British Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston warned on Tuesday that he might have to prove that he does not support Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Because laws bind the WTA, Simon believes the organization will be forced to reconsider its stance if governments refuse to allow Russian and Belarussian players to enter their nations.

“I believe that these individual athletes should not be penalized as a result of decisions made by an authoritarian government that is doing terrible, immoral things,” Simon added.