Wimbledon Bans Players From Russia and Belarus
- Thread starter anonymoose
- Start date
anonymoose
Classical Liberal
Not the point. It's about individual athletes being banned from a sporting event only because of the country where they happen to be citizens.
They could actually be opposed to the war but can't express that for fear of being poisoned.
There is going to be a lot more of this in every sport.
There cannot be any engagement with Russia while Putin is committing the worst war crimes in Europe since WW2
anonymoose
Classical Liberal
I just don't think letting athletes compete is engaging Russia. Plus it has zero effect on Putin.
anonymoose
Classical Liberal
Although if I were an elite athlete making $millions I'd consider asylum. Hell I'd consider asylum anyway.
Summer Olympic sports
In response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, athletics' governing body has now banned "all athletes, support personnel and officials from Russia and Belarus" from participation in "all World Athletics Series events for the foreseeable future, with immediate effect".Mar 18, 2022
https://www.bbc.co.uk › sport
[h=3]Ukraine crisis: Which sports have banned Russian athletes? - BBC
[/h]
In response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, athletics' governing body has now banned "all athletes, support personnel and officials from Russia and Belarus" from participation in "all World Athletics Series events for the foreseeable future, with immediate effect".Mar 18, 2022
[h=3]Ukraine crisis: Which sports have banned Russian athletes? - BBC
[/h]
You don't understand. State supported athletics and sports is very much part and parcel of the Russian identity an and national self perception. Russian tennis, hockey,
and gymnastics are very much ambassadors for Russia and Kremlin prestige
cawacko
Well-known member
I strongly agree with your strong disagreement. These are individual athletes who have nothing to do with their government, and may strongly disagree with their government. Is Putin going to say "well geez, I'll stop the war now because of this?" No. If anything he'll probably use it to rally the country together. But even that is neither here nor there. What about the precedent going forward of how athletes are treated based on what their government is doing? They are opening a whole can of worms here. This is a terrible decision.
the point was not lost on me.
its as silly as the US not participating in the Moscow Olympics (but no problem with Peking twice).
If russian men are still dominate then banning them will only hurt attendance.
anonymoose
Classical Liberal
Virtually all these athletes are fluent in English , see the news reports about what is actually happening and probably spend very little time in Russia anymore. I wonder what their take on the "special military operation" is? And if they're strongly against it do they consider defecting?
cawacko
Well-known member
To me it's almost irrelevant. These athletes may be from a country but this isn't the Olympics, they aren't playing on behalf of their country. I don't follow Tennis that closely so I don't know the individual back stories of each player but this is a bad precedent what they are doing imo. And just trying to focus on Putin is missing the big picture.
Mason Michaels
Verified User
So you're still sucking Putin's cock Legion?
Mason Michaels
Verified User
Mason Michaels
Verified User
And now we aren't!