'When politics interferes in sports..': Djokovic condemns Wimbledon ban on Russia, Belarus

Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic has slammed Wimbledon for excluding Russian and Belarusian players from competing in the prestigious Grand Slam tournament in June. The organisers of Wimbledon announced on Wednesday that Russian and Belarusian players will be barred from competing in the competition, citing Moscow's war on Ukraine as the reason. 

In response to the latest development, Djokovic stated that while he condemns the situation in Ukraine, he does not agree with Wimbledon's decision to exclude Russian and Belarusian players from the tournament. "It is not their fault," Djokovic remarked, adding that the athletes have nothing to do with the military operations in Ukraine. The World No. 1 player went on to say that when politics get involved in sports, it usually doesn't end well.

"I will always be the first one to condemn the war. As a child of war, I know what kind of emotional trauma a war leaves. Us in Serbia, we know what was happening here in 1999. Ordinary people always suffer – we’ve had lots of wars in the Balkans. That being said, I cannot support the Wimbledon decision. It is crazy. It’s not the athletes’ fault. When politics interfere with sport, it usually doesn’t turn out well," Djokovic told reporters after his win at the Serbian Open. 

"Exclusion like this, through no fault of these players, is not the way to go ... I think it’s the wrong decision. Tennis is such a democratic sport. It is difficult when you see politics destroy it," he added. 

Djokovic asks Wimbledon to donate profits

Djokovic went on to say that the All England Club's decision should be reconsidered, adding that Wimbledon should look at the big picture from a more global perspective. He believes that rather than excluding Russian and Belarusian athletes, who have nothing to do with the conflict in Ukraine, Wimbledon should contribute the tournament's proceeds to the war-torn region in order to better serve the people.

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