JOIN USWhy punish tennis players for Putin’s fault?
This is the time to remember the Christmas Truce of 1914, when tired British and German soldiers forgot they were fighting a war and escaped to a quiet retreat to play an impromptu game of soccer. The game united them as nothing else could have done. They hugged and kissed, rolled on the ground, and celebrated one of the most amazing truces ever between two enemy countries. Such is the power of sport. It united the bitterest of enemies – England and Germany -- during the First World War. Soccer has become a metaphor for peace in the history of war.
The All-England Lawn Tennis Cub (AELTC) could take a leaf out of this story enacted by its own countrymen. Its shameful action of banning highly ranked players from participating in the approaching Wimbledon tournament because their government invaded a neighbouring nation, is not in keeping with the high ideals it professes. In a scathing editorial, The Guardian has pointed out that the AELTC’s decision to ban athletes based purely on their nationality “sets a troubling precedent that penalises individual athletes for decisions made by their governments.”
It also reflects sadly on a 147-year-old sports event that was applauded around the world for its clean reputation and high sporting standards.
Following the AELTC’s ruling, Wimbledon has announced a ban on all Russian and Belarussian players in the third tennis Grand Slam of the year, which begins on June 22. Sadly, Daniil Medvedev (World No. 2) and Andrey Rublev (World No. 8) will not be allowed to play in Wimbledon.
While they will miss out on the men’s side, leading women players like the highly-ranked Aryna Sabalenka and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova will miss out on the women’s event. So will Victoria Azarenka, a former World No 1, a grand slam winner and Olympic gold medallist, who has been disqualified from competing at Wimbledon despite her condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, aided by her native Belarus.
Despite these players condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine (which in any case did not concern their participation in a tennis tournament,) UK Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston welcomed the “decisive action” taken by Wimbledon, saying, “The UK has taken a leading role internationally to make clear that President Putin must not be able to use sport to legitimise Russia’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine.” A clear case of politicising sports. Punishing Medvedev for being Russian is sad. He is a gifted player and promises to be in the same league as the Big Three (Federer, Nadal and Djokovic.) His presence on the tennis courts and beyond have been marked by grace and refinement. Nor is he mired in controversies.
The next question to ask is whether tennis players represent their countries when they participate in grand slam tournaments.
The answer is a definite “no”. Other than the Davis Cup, the ATC Cup and the Olympics, tennis players represent themselves. Their nationalities may be listed along with other details, but they do not play for any nation because tennis is an individual game and has always been so – unlike cricket or football. A tennis player plays for himself in the grand slams and receives trophies and prize money for himself. It is very clear that since he is not a representative of his nation, he cannot be punished or debarred from playing because of his country’s politics.
Olympic games, on the other hand, have their own rules. Athletes must be citizens of the countries they represent. So, players showcase their nationality along with themselves to the world. Yet, even here, players cannot be debarred or punished in any way because of the actions of the countries they represent. According to rules established by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), “Individual athletes participating in an individual sport should not be penalised or prevented from competing solely because of their nationalities or the decisions made by the governments of their countries.”
Controversies are inevitable in any sport. Whether it is the call to boycott 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics by human rights groups, or Naomi Osaka’s refusal to attend press conferences, sports have always invited disagreements, some serious and some insignificant.
Tennis, in particular, has invited storms ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous. Whether it is Maria Sharapova’s doping scandal or Djokovic’s demands for good quality food; Serena Williams calling the umpire a thief and a liar or Nadal being forced to change his shorts before 7,000 spectators; insults, controversies and bad behaviour (like Nick Kyrgios; verbal obscenities) have marred the tennis courts.
Yet, one expects those in tennis to be subdued and polite. It is a gentleman’s game, like golf, where unruly behaviour is not tolerated. So, when an organisation like the AELTC unfairly punishes players from countries whose governments have violated the rules of civilised behaviour, such action needs to be condemned.