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world news Diahuebs 21 aPRiL 2022

Wimbledon bans players from Russia, Belarus over Ukraine war

(AP) — Tennis players able to play in the grass-court
from Russia and Belarus Grand Slam tournament. Wednesday’s move signals
will not be allowed to “It is our responsibility to the first time a tennis tourna-
play at Wimbledon this play our part in the wide- ment has told players from
year because of the war in spread efforts ... to limit Russia and Belarus they are
Ukraine, the All England Russia’s global influence not welcome — and the ATP
Club announced Wednes- through the strongest means was quick to criticize the
day. possible,” the All England All England Club for what
Club said in a statement first the men’s tennis tour called
Among the prominent men’s posted on Twitter. “In the cir- a “unilateral decision” and
players affected by the ban are cumstances of such unjusti- “unfair.”
reigning U.S. Open cham- fied and unprecedented mili-
pion Daniil Medvedev, who tary aggression, it would be “Our sport is proud to op-
recently reached No. 1 in the unacceptable for the Russian erate on the fundamental
ATP rankings and is current- regime to derive any ben- principles of merit and fair-
ly No. 2, and No. 8 Andrey efits from the involvement of ness, where players compete
Rublev. The women’s players Russian or Belarusian players as individuals to earn their be taken regarding these de- Ukraine in February and is
affected include No. 4 Aryna with The Championships.” place in tournaments,” the cisions.” expected to permit Russian
Sabalenka, who was a Wim- ATP said in a statement, add- and Belarussian players to
bledon semifinalist last year; Russian athletes have been ing that the decision “has the The seven groups that run compete — just as so-called
Victoria Azarenka, a former prevented from competing potential to set a damaging the sport around the world “neutral” athletes who may
No. 1 who has won the Aus- in many sports following precedent for the game.” decided March 1 that players not represent their countries.
tralian Open twice; and An- their country’s invasion of from those countries would
astasia Pavlyuchenkova, the Ukraine. Belarus has aided The WTA also said it was be allowed to compete in The U.S. Tennis Associa-
French Open runner-up last Russia in the war. “very disappointed” with the WTA, ATP and Grand Slam tion, which runs the U.S.
year. decision. tournaments but not under Open, said Wednesday it has
Soccer, figure skating and the name or flag of Russia or not made a decision about
Medvedev, Rublev and Pav- track and field all banned “As the WTA has consistently Belarus. Those two nations whether players from Rus-
lyuchenkova are from Rus- Russian and Belarusian ath- stated, individual athletes also were kicked out of the sia and Belarus can compete
sia; Sabalenka and Azarenka letes and teams from their should not be penalized or Billie Jean King Cup and Da- at the year’s last Grand Slam
are from Belarus. events because of the war. prevented from competing vis Cup team competitions; tournament, which begins on
The Russian men’s national due to where they are from, Russia had been the reigning Aug. 29.
Wimbledon begins on June soccer team was excluded or the decisions made by the champion in both.
27. The All England Club from last month’s World Cup governments of their coun- The All England Club said
confirmed in March that it qualifying playoffs, forcing tries,” the women’s tour said The French Open, which that if “circumstances change
was having discussions with them to miss a chance to in a statement. “The WTA starts on May 22, will be the materially between now and
the British government about reach this year’s tournament will be evaluating its next first Grand Slam tournament June,” it would “respond ac-
whether Russians should be in Qatar. steps and what actions may held since Russia invaded cordingly.”

Most teams welcomed combine’s comeback but some snubbed it

(AP) — Comparison shop- of the league’s back-to-nor- the same as being here,” de- emiah, who calls the scout- tion until the third round be-
ping and face-to-face contact mal blueprint was the return clared Jaguars general man- ing combine the ultimate cause they traded their first-
with college prospects re- of the NFL scouting com- ager Trent Baalke, who again cluster-buster when it comes round pick to Detroit for
turned to the NFL this year bine to Lucas Oil Field in In- owns the top pick in the NFL to teams setting their draft Matthew Stafford and their
after the 2021 scouting com- dianapolis. draft. boards. second to Denver for Von
bine was scuttled by the pan- Miller. So, GM Les Snead,
demic. No more relying solely on Browns coach Kevin Ste- Say you have four corner- who famously wore a T-shirt
virtual visits like last year. fanski said that while teams backs with the same grade in at the championship parade
Talent evaluators welcomed have fused Zoom calls and your third-round stack, Jer- mocking his team’s lack of
back college pro days and “The Zoom meetings we FaceTime interviews into the emiah said, “and they’re out draft picks, joined McVay in
private workouts even as the have with players or with spring evaluation process, “I there on the same field at the skipping out on the combine.
COVID-19 broadside en- reporters or anybody else, like seeing players up close same time doing the same
tered its third year. The core the engagement just isn’t and personal, sitting down drills. It really helps to be able San Francisco GM John
with them and watching tape to separate and evaluate those Lynch, whose first pick is the
with them.” guys.” 29th selection of Round 2,
said Shanahan and his staff
Yet, not all head coaches em- That could prove pivotal this snubbed the combine so they
braced the combine’s come- year with a pool of prospects could integrate new assistants
back. much deeper than last year’s. in Santa Clara while evalu-
ating prospects with their
Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan “This year especially, the dif- personnel department and
and Robert Saleh all skipped ference between the 15th scouts in Indianapolis.
this year’s event in which player and the 60th player in
324 players showed off some the draft is very small, and “Kyle and I talked and we felt
combination of their ath- teams are going to have those like his time and his staff’s
leticism, fitness, skill, speed, guys in all different orders,” time were best spent there,”
quickness, strength and savvy Jeremiah said. Lynch said. “The great thing
for scouts, coaches and gen- about what we’ve learned
eral managers in attendance. Hitting on draft picks has al- over the last couple of years
ways been a harbinger of suc- is when we’re interview-
“I think it’s still valuable from cess, although the Rams just ing players, those respective
the standpoint of watching won the Super Bowl with a coaches and coordinators and
these guys all move around roster built through trades Kyle will get on the Zooms.
on the field together,” said and free agency. And so even though they
NFL Network analyst and aren’t here, they are here.”
former pro scout Daniel Jer- The Rams don’t have a selec-