The ATP has handed a massive $1 million fine to the LTA over their decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players from competing in its event this year.
NEW: The LTA has been fined $1m (£820,000) by the ATP for banning Russian and Belarusian players from its events last year.
The LTA say they are considering their response to the sanction.
Official statement below.
pic.twitter.com/L8LrPC9XuL — James Gray (@jamesgraysport) December 7, 2022
In April, the AELTC announced their decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players from competing at Wimbledon. The LTA, the governing body of tennis in Great Britain, followed the AELTC and banned Russian and Belarusian players from competing in its ATP and WTA events held this summer.
After being handed a $1 million fine by the WTA, the LTA has now been handed another $1 million fine. In its statement, the LTA hit out at the ATP over “showing a lack of empathy” for the situation in Ukraine.
Also, the LTA admitted the ATP’s fine will have a major negative impact on the organization’s financial ability.
The LTA statement on the ATP’s fine
“The LTA is deeply disappointed with this outcome. The ATP, in its finding, has shown no recognition of the exceptional circumstances created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, or the international sporting community and UK Government’s response to that invasion.
The ATP appear to regard this matter as a straightforward breach of their rules – with a surprising lack of empathy shown for the situation in Ukraine, and a clear lack of understanding of the unique circumstances the LTA faced.
The financial impact of both this fine and the WTA’s fine will have a material impact on the LTA’s ability to develop and host tennis in this country. For example, we had intended to host a number of ATP Challenger level events to give more opportunities to lower ranked players in the first quarter of 2023 and will now not be able to do this, particularly given the possibility of further fines.
We will carefully consider our response and we await the outcome of our appeal against the WTA’s decision and sanction,” the LTA said in its statement. After Wimbledon was over, British media reported that Russian and Belarusian players could face the same fate in 2023.
