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The 2022 French Open will allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete, but they'll have to do so under a neutral flag.
Russian and Belarusian athletes have borne the brunt of the world's ire since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in late February. Belarus, although not directly involved in the conflict, have allowed Russian forces to attack Ukraine from their territory. That is why they have also faced sanctions and bans across sports and other spheres.
However, unlike the French Open, which commences on 22 May, Wimbledon has banned Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing at this year's Championships. It said in a statement:
"In the circumstances of such unjustified and unprecedented military aggression, it would be unacceptable for the Russian regime to derive any benefits from the involvement of Russian or Belarusian players with The Championships. It is therefore our intention, with deep regret, to decline entries from Russian and Belarusian players to The Championships 2022."
However, Wimbledon's "unilateral" decision has attracted widespread criticism from top players like Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, as well as the ATP and the WTA for discriminating on the basis of nationality. An ATP press release in this regard said:
"We believe that today’s unilateral decision by Wimbledon and the LTA to exclude players from Russia and Belarus from this year’s British grass-court swing is unfair and has the potential to set a damaging precedent for the game. Discrimination based on nationality also constitutes a violation of our agreement with Wimbledon that states that player entry is based solely on ATP Rankings."
If any Russian or Belarusian athletes make pro-Putin statements in the media, there will be sanctions: French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo
Late last year, Amelie Mauresmo made history when Roland Garros announced that she would be their new tournament director. The Frenchwoman became the first female to take up the prestigious position at the claycourt Major.
Speaking on national radio France Inter, Mauresmo said that any pro-Putin comments at the French Open would attract sanctions. She said:
“It’s very complicated, probably there is no fair decision to take. We keep the line of what all the European governments – and other governments – decided in March, i.e. national teams of Russia and Belarus banned, but not the athletes as individuals, as long as they play under strict neutrality. We will be very meticulous on that. If any of them should have pro-Putin statements in the media, there will be sanctions fur sure.”
With COVID-19 restrictions easing, Mauresmo is expecting close to full attendance for all the matches. She recently said that 90-95% tickets for the tournament have been sold.
Also Check Out :- French Open 2022 Schedule
