Wimbledon Bans Russian Players

[-SharonA-]

Wimbledon has taken the decision to ban Russian players from the tournament.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/61161016
Do you agree with this??

[davebro]

If we can't get at Putin directly (we can't) then we should try other ways. The only people that can bring change to Russia are the Russian people themselves however hard it may be to achieve that at present.
If they realise that their country has become an international pariah and their lives & livelihoods are being severely impacted due to the actions of their despots they may start to demand changes.

[ichkeria]

Russians are brainwashed to believe the west is the enemy.
At the moment most of them seem to agree.
So banning ordinary Russians from here is probably pointless: they can’t travel here directly anyway, which is a ban more or less anyway. And quite right too.

[bhg481]

Would I be right in thinking that any prize money won by Russian players would end up in Russian coffers? If so, that's a good reason to keep Russians out of the tournament.

[ichkeria]

I don’t think so.
It goes to the players

[bhg481]

Yes, but where do they pay tax?

[Neveracrossword]

Quite a few of the top players have residency in Monte Carlo- Djokovic, Medvedev and a few others.

[ichkeria]

I'm 100% per cent behind the ban, but we probably shouldn't fret about the 13% top tax rate in russia when we continue to subsidise the russian state with billions in oil and gas revenue (by "we" I mean the west in general)

[Sqad]

Been cogitating all day foloowing my first post.

Apart from feeling holier than thou, sanctimonious and God fearing, what would be the effect of a ban on Russian tennis players at Wimbledon on the war in the Ukraine?

Nothing.

The players would get a rough reception by the crowds but that would be up to the players to decide whether that was acceptable to them.

The players should decide on a tournament self imposed ban.........not the Tennis Association.

[ichkeria]

I don't think the idea is to affect the course of the war in Ukraine.

[Sqad]

Ich, that is what I guessed, it is to make everyone feel supportive and patriotic.

[Mozz71]

Honestly Sqad, I don't think the LTA had much choice in the matter. If they had let the Russian/Belarusian play Wimbledon, they would've faced a massive public backlash.

I think I'd have liked to have seen them allowed to play, but their prize money instead donated to the Ukrainian aid fund. The better the Russian athletes do, the more money goes to Ukraine.

[Sqad]

Mozz.......yes I suppose so.

[ichkeria]

"that is what I guessed, it is to make everyone feel supportive and patriotic. "

Actually I don't think that is the idea either, or rather I hope not.
I think it's to emphasise Russia's isolation by banning anyone who might be seen to be representing the country in an official capacity, be it sporting, cultural, political etc etc.
And although these players are not part of a team in a team competition they repesent something the Russian state and people can identify with and support - especially in the absence of much else!
I don't think it's possible to overstep the mark in this regard.
Lay off ordinary Russians certainly.

[mushroom25]

Ukrainian player Elina Svitolina now saying that Russian and Belarus players who denounce Russia should be allowed to play.
https://www.bbc.com./sport/tennis/61172686
just wondering if those players who do denounce Russia would consider being removed to a gulag was an acceptable price to pay for the glory of playing at Wimbledon?

[-SharonA-]

And Navratilova very upset too. Poor thing.
https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/martina-navratilova-wimbledon-ban-russian-players/?fbclid=IwAR1fdbiyX96IRLVBV3qB8d5k7RyJhcSFq32Q3i_68cx5aKwsGunxS9ZyphQ

[murraymints]

YES YES YES

[Cloverjo]

I don’t like the ban. Apart from the big names like Medvedev and Azarenka (who won’t suffer financially) there are plenty of other Russian and Belarusian tennis players barely scratching a living from toiling around the world. To crush their dreams because of Putin’s madness is wrong.

I don’t think sport should get involved in politics.

[murraymints]

this brings me back to the OOT OOT OOT days..lol ..Russia must be thwarted at all and every turn , no matter how trivial or petty it seems..this madman needs taking down and his own people, as a result of embargo , are best placed to do so...save a bullet from the special services ..and I sincerely hope they are looking for him in order to do so

[murraymints]

Clover.. see my comments.. he needs taking down ..and alas more innocents may have to suffer

[Cloverjo]

I agree Putin needs taking down, but wrecking others’ livelihoods is massively unfair.

I may be slightly biased as my daughter in law is Russian. (Not a tennis player, though).