AELTC bans Russian, Belarusian athletes

Grand Slam's organizer, All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), said in a statement that tennis players from Russia and Belarus would not be allowed to compete at Wimbledon due to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. "We recognize that this is hard on the individuals affected, and it is with sadness that they will suffer for the actions of the leaders of the Russian regime," Ian Hewitt, chairman of the AELTC said in a statement. The players have also been banned from the UK grass-court tournaments held in the build-up to Wimbledon, he added.