I WAS appalled to read this week that Wimbledon has decided to ban all Russian and Belarusian players from competing this year.

Banning Russian teams is fine by me, but in individual sports where they can play under a neutral flag there is no excuse for such a discriminatory policy.

It was bad enough having the men's world number one banned from most tournaments for the crime of NOT taking drugs earlier this year, but to suggest that individuals should be banned on the grounds of where they were born is just obscene.

Even demanding they speak out against the war is a foolish suggestion, as I would imagine most Russian players will be against the war, but also against being introduced to the effects of Novichok if they do dare to speak up.

Putin won't be around forever, nor will he care that he has the military might of the AELTC up against him.

We need to be friends with the majority of decent Russian people and support them in getting a better government.

The supposed reason for the ban, not wanting to risk the Royals being pictured alongside a Russian winner.

Well the Royals aren't embarrassed being pictured with Prince Andrew, so what’s the problem?

Dr Scott Marmion,

Woodthorpe,

York

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