Kudermetova to remove Russian sponsor logo to play at Wimbledon

[May 05, 2023]  (Reuters) - Russia's Veronika Kudermetova said she will remove the logo of Russian sponsor Tatneft from her kit so she can compete at Wimbledon this year.
 
 Wimbledon banned Russian and Belarusian players in 2022 over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine but said in March it would accept them as neutral athletes for this year's championships.  

Tennis - WTA 500 - Stuttgart Open - Porsche Arena, Stuttgart, Germany - April 19, 2023 Russia's Veronika Kudermetova in action during her round of 32 match against Coco Gauff of the U.S. REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth

Tournament organisers have said players would be prohibited from expressing support for the invasion, which Moscow calls a "special military operation", and must not receive funding from the Russian or Belarusian states.

Kudermetova's sponsor Tatneft is an oil and gas company.

"I think for Wimbledon, it's not allowed to play with the badge from Russia, I know that," Kudermetova told reporters at the Madrid Open on Monday.

Kudermetova, who will face Jessica Pegula in the quarter-finals in Madrid, is among several Russian and Belarusian players who have already signed personal declarations that will clear them to compete as neutrals at Wimbledon.

"If I would like to play Wimbledon, I need to take the badge off," she added.

(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

[© 2023 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.