Ultimatum: Medvedev is ordered to condemn Putin, or he'll be banned from Wimbledon

Daniil Medvedev is set to be banned from Wimbledon unless he signs a declaration stating he does not support Russian president Vladimir Putin.

According to Express, the US Open champion and two-time Australian Open runner-up must distance himself from Putin in public to be granted clearance to play.

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Russia has been thrown out of the football World Cup for its involvement in the war in Ukraine. But tennis has allowed Russian and Belarusian stars to carry on playing under a neutral flag like competitors at the Winter Olympics.

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Now British sports minister Nigel Huddleston wants all athletes from Russia and Belarus to prove they are "genuinely neutral" (?!) to be allowed to compete in events in the UK. This would require "assurances" that they do not support or receive money from Putin or the Russian regime - a demand which will be impossible and even dangerous for world No 2 Medvedev and other top stars like Belarus world No 5 Aryna Sabalenka.

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Huddleston said:

"We did make the request to governing bodies relating to individual sportspeople that if they (Russians or Belarusians) wish to participate in a UK sport, they are independent and neutral - and genuinely so.

"We wish to get the assurance of that in a written declaration that they are not receiving money from Putin, Russia or Belarus. That they will not be making supportive comments about Putin, Russia or Belarus. If people are saying they are neutral athletes, we want the assurance that they are genuinely neutral and, therefore, there isn't any connection with Putin.

"If some individual sports or entities choose to do an outright ban of Russian or Belarusian athletes, then we will support that as well. But if they chose to go down the neutral route, then we are requesting they get that assurance."