Wimbledon Criticised By World Number One Novak Djokovic Over Russia Ban

Novak Djokovic has hit out at the decision by Wimbledon to ban players from Russia and Belarus from competing in the third grand slam of the year.

On Wednesday, Wimbledon became the first tournament to take action against athletes from the two countries, in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine.

Players have been able to continue competing on the WTA at ATP tours, despite sanctions in other sports, and they've also been allowed to sign up to the French Open, starting next month, the second 'slam' of the year.

Wimbledon's decision means that men's world number two player Daniil Medvedev will be missing from SW19, and Djokovic, who occupies the number one spot, thinks that it's a 'crazy' decision that the All England club have taken.

"I will always condemn war, I will never support war being myself a child of war," the 20 times grand slam winner told reporters at the Serbia Open.

"I know how much emotional trauma it leaves. In Serbia we all know what happened in 1999. In the Balkans we have had many wars in recent history.

"However, I cannot support the decision of Wimbledon, I think it is crazy.

"When politics interferes with sport, the result is not good."

Djokovic won his sixth Wimbledon title last summer. Image: PA Images

Djokovic has had his own fair share of controversy this season already, and himself was banned from the first major tournament of the season.

The Serbian refused to get the Covid 19 vaccine and was thrown out of Australia, ahead of the Australian Open, leading to Rafael Nadal overtaking him on the all time list of slams won, on 21.

He isn't the only high profile name to have hit out at the decision, with Martina Navratilova, who has won 20 Wimbledon titles in singles, women's doubles and mixed doubles, adding her voice to the criticism.

"Exclusion … is not the way to go,” Navratilova told Tonight with Andrew Marr.

"And as much as I feel for the Ukrainian players and Ukrainian people… I think this is just going further than [the AELTC] needed to be going, quite frankly. I think it's the wrong decision. It's unfair to the whole world. There's so much bad going on. I think this is not helpful.

“Russian players and Belarusian players, some have even expressed their opposition to the war."

Medvedev was the man to stop Djokovic winning every slam last year. Image: PA Images

In their original statement, the All England club defended the decision to ban players, saying, "Given the profile of The Championships in the United Kingdom and around the world, it is our responsibility to play our part in the widespread efforts of Government, industry, sporting and creative institutions to limit Russia’s global influence through the strongest means possible.

"In the circumstances of such unjustified and unprecedented military aggression, it would be unacceptable for the Russian regime to derive any benefits from the involvement of Russian or Belarusian players with The Championships."

Medvedev will be the most high profile loss to the tournament, having unseated Djokovic as world number one for three weeks earlier this year.

The Russian was also the man to stop the Serb winning all four slams last year, when he defeated him in straight sets in the US Open final.