Daniil Medvedev may have lost his world No. 1 tennis ranking on Monday when he was defeated at the Indian Wells Open, but a Tuesday announcement could weigh much heavier on the Russian champion.
British Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston announced Tuesday that Russian athletes may be required to denounce Russian President Vladimir Putin if they wish to compete at Wimbledon, according to comments made at a select committee in Parliament.
“Absolutely, nobody flying the flag for Russia should be allowed or enabled [to compete],” he said, according to a report.
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“But I think it needs to go beyond that. I think we need to have some assurance that they are not supporters of Vladimir Putin, and we are considering what requirements we may need to get assurances along those lines.”
Medvedev, 26, is the 2021 U.S. Open champion and has won at least 13 ATP Tour singles titles.
He competed under a neutral flag at the Indian Wells Open, and he has said he has no wish to be political.
“I want to promote my sport, promote it in my country for sure also. Right now, the situation is, this is the only way we can play, so that’s what I’m going to do. I will try to fight on the court and try to win the tournaments and try to beat the other guys,” he said.
The exact proceedings of Wimbledon are yet to be finalized, Huddleston said.
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“We are looking at this issue of what we do with individuals, and we are thinking about the implications of it because I don’t think people would accept individuals very clearly flying the Russian flag, in particular if there is any support for Putin and his regime.”
