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Wimbledon Ban Will ‘Incite Hatred,’ Says Belarus Federation

Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 2, 2019 General view of the Wimbledon logo on the base of the handle of a tennis racquet. (Reuters)
Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 2, 2019 General view of the Wimbledon logo on the base of the handle of a tennis racquet. (Reuters)
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Wimbledon Ban Will ‘Incite Hatred,’ Says Belarus Federation

Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 2, 2019 General view of the Wimbledon logo on the base of the handle of a tennis racquet. (Reuters)
Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 2, 2019 General view of the Wimbledon logo on the base of the handle of a tennis racquet. (Reuters)

The decision to bar Russian and Belarusian players from Wimbledon over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine will incite "hatred and intolerance", the Belarus Tennis Federation (BTF) said, adding that they are seeking legal advice on the ban.

The grasscourt major announced on Wednesday that Russian and Belarusian competitors would be banned from this year's tournament. Belarus is a key staging area for the invasion, which Russia calls a "special military operation".

"The Belarusian Tennis Federation categorically condemns the decision of the Wimbledon organizers to suspend the Belarusian and Russian tennis players," BTF said in a statement on Thursday.

"Such destructive actions in no way contribute to the resolution of conflicts, but only incite hatred and intolerance on ethnic grounds."

The decision means that Belarusian players including fourth-ranked Aryna Sabalenka and two-times Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka will not be able to compete at the June 27-July 10 tournament.

"The unlawful decisions of the international tennis organizations concerning our tennis players undermine ... the reputation of these organizations," the BTF said.

"BTF management is still consulting with international law firms on sports law and developing a strategy that is aimed primarily at protecting the Belarusian tennis players around the world and tennis in the Republic of Belarus in general."

The All England Lawn Tennis Club's (AELTC) decision has been criticized by the ATP and WTA Tours, though it said it would "consider and respond accordingly" if circumstances change between now and June.

British Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston, who said last month he would not be comfortable with a "Russian athlete flying the Russian flag" and winning Wimbledon in London, has welcomed the AELTC's decision.

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German Club Backs Out of Signing Israel Striker After Fan Backlash

19 September 2019, Moenchengladbach: Wolfsberg's Shon Weissman celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the UEFA Europa League group J soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and Wolfsberg AC at the Borussia Park. (dpa)
19 September 2019, Moenchengladbach: Wolfsberg's Shon Weissman celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the UEFA Europa League group J soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and Wolfsberg AC at the Borussia Park. (dpa)
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German Club Backs Out of Signing Israel Striker After Fan Backlash

19 September 2019, Moenchengladbach: Wolfsberg's Shon Weissman celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the UEFA Europa League group J soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and Wolfsberg AC at the Borussia Park. (dpa)
19 September 2019, Moenchengladbach: Wolfsberg's Shon Weissman celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the UEFA Europa League group J soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and Wolfsberg AC at the Borussia Park. (dpa)

Bundesliga 2 side Fortuna Duesseldorf has pulled out of signing Israel striker Shon Weissman in response to fan anger about his social media posts on the Gaza war, German tabloid Bild reported Tuesday.

Fan furor erupted online on Monday when news emerged Weissman was on the cusp of joining Duesseldorf from Spanish side Granada FC.

On Tuesday, the club tweeted: "We looked into Shon Weissman intensively, but ultimately decided not to sign him".

The club did not reveal the reasons for the decision, but Bild reported the club reacted to fan anger about social media statements from Weissman, who was already in Duesseldorf and had completed a medical.

The center-forward, who has 33 Israel caps, made several social media posts after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel that set off the Gaza war.

Bild reported Weissman called for Israel to "wipe Gaza off the map" and to "drop 200 tons of bombs on it".

The 29-year-old had also liked posts saying, "there are no innocents (in Gaza), they don't need to be warned".

Weissman, who deleted the posts soon after making them, has since said he made a mistake and was acting in the heat of the moment.

Duesseldorf fans launched an online petition on Monday saying Weissman's "disrespectful and discriminatory" comments "are in stark contrast to the principles Fortuna stand for and try to promote".

Weissman has already been the subject of fan protests in Granada, who he joined in January 2023.

Bild reported Duesseldorf and Weissman had planned to issue an apology statement for the posts, which was to be made public after the signing was made official.

After 22 months of combat sparked by the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas that killed 1,219 people and saw hundreds kidnapped, the Israeli army has devastated large parts of the Palestinian territory.

More than 60,933 Palestinians have been killed, according to figures from Hamas-run Gaza's health ministry, and humanitarian agencies have warned that the territory's 2.4 million people are slipping into a catastrophic famine.

Germany, as it has sought to atone for the Holocaust, has long been a steadfast supporter of Israel, but concern has risen sharply over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The war has previously made an impact in professional football in Germany.

In 2023, Bundesliga side Mainz decided to sack player Anwar El Ghazi for statements made on social media about the conflict.

El Ghazi, a Dutch international with Moroccan roots, won a wrongful dismissal case in a German court against the club, who have since appealed.

Former Bayern Munich defender Noussair Mazraoui, now with Manchester United, apologized publicly after making several social media posts on the conflict, including one which called for "victory" for "our oppressed brothers in Palestine."

German football fans are heavily involved in major decisions, from signing players to setting fixtures, due to the so-called 50+1 regulation, which requires club members retain overall control of professional football sides.