April 07, 2023

Wimbledon Opens Its Doors


Wimbledon Opens Its Doors
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in a round one match at the Sydney International (2018). Sydney International Tennis WTA, Wikimedia Commons.

According to a recent statement issued by the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC), the organization has lifted its ban on Belarusian and Russian tennis players ahead of the 2023 Wimbledon Championship.

Tennis players from Belarus and Russia will be granted permission to compete as "neutral" athletes in the upcoming tournament. However, in light of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, players are strictly forbidden from showing any form of support for the hostilities. Moreover, they are also prohibited from accepting funding from their respective nations, including any form of sponsorship that may be "managed or controlled" by their governments.

Ian Hewitt, Chairman of the All England Club, elaborated: "We continue to condemn totally Russia's illegal invasion and our wholehearted support remains with the people of Ukraine." He said that the decision was "incredibly difficult" and that it was "not taken lightly or without a great deal of consideration for those who will be impacted."

In April 2022, Wimbledon announced it would not let Russian or Belarusian athletes compete due to the Russian invasion. Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka, who was a semi-finalist at Wimbledon in 2021 and ranked fourth in Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings at the time, was one of the athletes who was significantly affected by the prohibition.

Hewitt added that "If circumstances change materially between now and the commencement of the Championships, we will consider and respond accordingly."

You Might Also Like

En Garde, Russia and Belarus
  • March 13, 2023

En Garde, Russia and Belarus

The International Fencing Federation greenlit the return of Russian and Belarussian fencers to tournaments — and the Olympics.
What Is Fair in Love and War?
  • February 07, 2023

What Is Fair in Love and War?

The International Olympic Committee is advocating for Russian and Belarusian involvement in the 2024 Olympic Games.
Russia's Yellow Card
  • June 19, 2022

Russia's Yellow Card

Ex-captain of the Russian national soccer team speaks out against the invasion of Ukraine despite potential consequences.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 
Turgenev Bilingual

Turgenev Bilingual

A sampling of Ivan Turgenev's masterful short stories, plays, novellas and novels. Bilingual, with English and accented Russian texts running side by side on adjoining pages.
Tolstoy Bilingual

Tolstoy Bilingual

This compact, yet surprisingly broad look at the life and work of Tolstoy spans from one of his earliest stories to one of his last, looking at works that made him famous and others that made him notorious. 
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.
At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Bilingual series of short, lesser known, but highly significant works that show the traditional view of Dostoyevsky as a dour, intense, philosophical writer to be unnecessarily one-sided. 
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955