The banning of Russian and Belarusian tennis players from Wimbledon is shameful

[malaise]

I hope other players boycott Wimbledon.
That is all.

[dem4decades]

1. I guess we'll agree to disagree.

[SoonerPride]

2. Why?

Russia is a pariah state.

Their businesses should be boycotted, their assets frozen, the athletes banned.

Until the country becomes a civilized member of the planet no one from the country should be allowed any favor.

Ban them from everything.

[highplainsdem]

44. +1,000,000

[Owl]

62. +1,000,001

[qazplm135]

3. nah

If the Russian people don't want to be ostracized, time for them to finally stand up to their government after generations of demanding strongmen do their thinking for them.

[Goodheart]

6. Exactly

[Sherman A1]

22. +1000

[Goodheart]

4. I agree with it completely.

Millions of Ukrainians displaced from their homes, hundreds of thousands murdered and kidnapped. And you're going to complain about somebody not being able to play tennis?

[onetexan]

54. +1 -K&R

[lapfog_1]

5. They should be allowed to compete

but not as Russians or Belarusian... if they are identified at all by country, let it be U.N. or something.

And no reporters should ask them "do you agree with Putin or with Ukraine?" or similar questions.

They all have families that could be put at risk.

[Goodheart]

7. ????

How can they not be Russian or Belarussian? That's what they are.

[gab13by13]

19. They already did it in the Olympics,

Russia was banned from competing in the Olympics because of doping so they just went under a different name. ROC or something.

[obamanut2012]

40. Yeah, that worked really well, didn't it?

lol

[SoonerPride]

51. They hadn't invaded Ukraine then.The ban goes back to Russian doping.

Had they invaded Ukraine prior to the Olympics I'm sure the IOC would have banned them outright and not let them compete under a generic flag.

[ripcord]

10. How is this even an issue?

Athletes aren't special and they have it much better than others who are affected by the sanctions.

[Demsrule86]

24. No, the should not be allowed to compete...they are from Russia...no

[Raftergirl]

57. That policy is already in place.

Tennis players from Russia and Belarus already had their country and flag removed from tennis scoreboards and draws. That policy took affect, by both ATP, WTA and ITF a few days after Russia invaded Ukraine. They have also been banned from all team competitions - Billie Jean King Cup, Davis Cup, and ATP Cup.

[Sherman A1]

8. I disagree

The Russians and their client states need to feel the full wrath of world anger for the actions of their government in whatever means it it possible to deliver it.

[Fresh_Start]

16. +1 nt

nt

[ripcord]

9. How is it worse for professional tennis player

Than it is for others in Russia who have lost their income due to the sanctions? At least the tennis pros aren't going to be allowed to go hungry.

[Fresh_Start]

15. +1 nt

nt

[Fresh_Start]

11. They are sources of national pride for Russians and Belarussians

and for that reason alone, I'm fine with them being banned.


Would strongly prefer they were sent back to their own countries.

[Sherman A1]

25. Absolutely

They can have matches amongst themselves in Moscow and broadcast it on state TV.

[Submariner]

12. No one wants to watch a Russian

holding a trophy over his/her head in victory for anything until Putin is overthrown or dead.

I feel the last thing we need to do is make Putin feel victorious about anything.

[Fresh_Start]

13. +1 nt

nt

[smirkymonkey]

18. +1000

Seriously. Make sure they all know how the rest of the world feels about them, even if they are talented. If they don't like it, they can defect or try to change how people in their countries think about their leaders.

[Mosby]

66. Well said. nt

[Happy Hoosier]

14. LOLO... WUT? NOPE.

Can't agree.

[Effete Snob]

17. .

[Demsrule86]

20. Sorry...Russia should have no representation...in Wimbledon...the are committing Genocide.

[lindysalsagal]

60. +1000.

[Gore1FL]

21. Sanctions are meant to hurt. nt

[former9thward]

42. Putin is not hurt by this.

And a tennis player is not running a war.

[qazplm135]

55. Putin has power

because the Russian people have consistently chosen strongmen to rule them their entire modern history...even in periods where they had a choice and relative democracy, they still fall back to strongmen.

Putin didn't take power by a coup, and he didn't trick people with what he was about. They elected him.

[Gore1FL]

56. Life is unintended and often collateral consequence.

They can speak up about it or not.

[gab13by13]

23. There are 40 Russians playing hockey in the NHL,

a few of which are pals with Putin.

[BlueCheeseAgain]

28. Probably the most famous one (Ovechkin) has a picture of him with Putin as his Instagram profile pic

[old guy]

36. NHL is looking the other way.

Too close to Stanley Cup playoffs.

[malaise]

68. Hilarious isn't it n/t

[Jm7603]

26. Same as any other sanction. Russia needs to

be embarrassed on the world stage in any way possible.

[PortTack]

43. ☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️

[Jm7603]

63. A side benefit of sports sanctions is that maybe

the sports fans in Russia will wonder why so many of the world's countries don't find Putin's "liberation" to be the noble quest that they do. Putin can hide a lot of the facts from his people and he may lie about why Russian tennis stars aren't competing at Wimbledon but that is a tough sell to die hard sports fans. Maybe we can chip away at his 80+% approval for his war.

[BlueCheeseAgain]

27. I understand both sides of this argument.

One parallel might be that of apartheid-era South Africa, which was also excluded from most sporting events of the time.

The boycott of South Africa even led to boycotting events with countries that engaged with South Africa. After New Zealand's rugby team visited South Africa, nearly 30 African countries boycotted the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal because New Zealand would be there.

Historically, I feel like most people agree with basically banning South African athletes from international sports at the time.

[totodeinhere]

29. Yes, some innocent Russian and Belarusian tennis players may suffer.

But in order to accomplish a greater good, it might be necessary. Innocent civilians always suffer in war. That is why this war must stop and the West must do everything it can to peacefully see that it happens. If that includes banning tennis players then so be it.

[Scrivener7]

30. I disagree.

[Beakybird]

31. Amidst genocide? I disagree.

[leftstreet]

32. DURec

[MuseRider]

33. Another view

if they did play can you imagine what the security problems would be for Wimbledon and London?

I am fine with them not playing, they would likely face a ton of rudeness from the crowds and that would be hard for everyone. I cannot imagine anyone feeling good about them winning and that is also bad for everyone. I cannot think of a positive thing to come out of letting them play.

If we saw their countrymen/women rising up in significant ways it might change the feelings but so far I have not seen or read about much of it. I understand how hard it would be but still, they are the only thing that will solve their situation.

Just some different thoughts on why it would be a big problem.

[WA-03 Democrat]

34. I hope Russia stops

Killing innocents in Ukraine. Sports can and are under the full burden of sanctions.

Russia cannot fuck off until they stop this madness.

[FSogol]

35. No, Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is shameful. The murder of civilians is shameful.

The war crimes by Russia are shameful. The destruction of a peaceful democracy is shameful.

[bottomofthehill]

37. Let them play. But if they win, the pures gors to Ukraine to help fund the war effort.

If the money of oil and gas businesses, tech companies and others are held, why would or should the athletes be different, but if they want to play for a trophy while the cash goes to fund the War Effort........why not.

[jcgoldie]

38. disagree with you on this one

Whatever influence can be levied to bring home to the Russian people how the world views the genocidal actions of their state is warranted.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

39. They should be able to play as individuals with the emphasis on individuals...

They should be able to play as individuals with the emphasis on individuals and not as representatives of their terrorist states.

[sarisataka]

41. .

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[PortTack]

46. Look at that f..king smirk!!

[PortTack]

45. If it were the other way round, you think russia would allow western teams to play??

[johnp3907]

47. Yeah, THIS is the shameful thing involving Russia.

[Stinky The Clown]

48. I gotta disagree with you on this one.

ANYTHING that puts heat on things Russian is absolutely appropriate given their treatment of Ukraine.

I get your sentiment about the players but too bad for them. Maybe they can kick up some dust back home.

[48656c6c6f20]

49. Not enough actually, I'm looking at you NHL

[sakabatou]

50. Look upon my field of fucks and see that it is barren.

[Disaffected]

52. No, that is not all.

Your premise is illogical. How many other exceptions are you willing to support??

[Owl]

58. Totally disagree.

[DFW]

59. I look back to the Vietnam era

Our civil rights record was abysmal, our actions in Vietnam unfortunate at best, and our record of covert activity in Central America reprehensible. At one Olympic ceremony, some of our athletes raised their fists in protest to show the world that not all Americans agreed with what their country was doing. Had we been banned, the world would never have gotten to see that.

I would be all for denying Putin his smirking prestige, but I would not deny the individuals their day in the sun.

[malaise]

64. One of my DU friends sent me a tweet from Rublev where

he offered to donate the prize money.

You get it. This is way bigger than the current enemy. I have never minded being a minority with my view of things.

[malaise]

65. One of my DU friends sent me a tweet from Rublev where

he offered to donate the prize money.

You get it. This is way bigger than the current enemy. I have never minded being a minority with my view of things.

[leftstreet]

69. +1

[rockfordfile]

61. Good. Other sports should do the same.

[Xavier Breath]

67. Sucks to be them, I guess.

Zero sympathy from me.