The international tennis association ITF has fined its British counterpart £820,000 (1 million euros) for not allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to play in grass tournaments. Last summer, the British Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) banned individual athletes from the Wimbledon grand slam tournament due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Tennis Professionals Association (ATP), the organization of men’s professional tennis, said in April that the LTA’s unilateral decision was unacceptable, and it could set a precedent for further exclusion of tennis players on the basis of nationality. The LTA reacted angrily to the fine. According to the UK trade union, “The ATP does not adequately acknowledge the extraordinary circumstances caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine”.

The UK government is firmly behind the British Tennis Association. Britain’s Minister for Sport Michelle Donelan said on Wednesday that Britain had taken a “leading role” in establishing “this international response”. According to Donelan, “it is clear that sport cannot be used to justify a deadly invasion, and athletes representing the Russian and Belarusian states should be banned from tournaments in other countries.”

Russian athletes and teams have also been barred from participating in other major sporting events, such as this year’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the 2022 European Football Championship in Germany. Belarus is not excluded from this tournament. The country has so far not sent troops to Ukraine, but it has served as an invasion platform for Russian soldiers. (NRC)