We are excited to announce a comprehensive new broadcast agreement that will see the UK summer grass court events given the widest coverage to date on network television, streaming and digital platforms.
All the action will be available across multiple platforms after the BBC and Prime Video confirmed broadcast arrangements for this summer.
Tennis fans are set to enjoy a bumper summer on the British grass courts, with Emma Raducanu, Andy Murray, Cam Norrie and Alfie Hewett among the homegrown heroes taking on some of the biggest names on the ATP and WTA Tours.
Broadcast schedule
Murray’s first appearance at the Surbiton Trophy since 2004 will be screened live on the BBC’s digital platforms next week, with the former two-time Wimbledon champion starting his grass court campaign with an appearance in the ATP Challenger tournament.
The British tennis summer will then roll onto the Rothesay Open Nottingham, where 2022 Madrid Open winner and world No.7 Ons Jabeur is on the entry list, with both Prime Video and the BBC (for the first time) broadcasting the WTA 250 event while the concurrent ATP Challenger tournament at the Nottingham Tennis Centre will also be on BBC digital platforms.
Birmingham and the Queen’s Club in London are then next stops on the calendar, with Prime Video and the BBC sharing co-exclusive rights to screen both tournaments.
US Open champion Raducanu will lead an impressive cast list for the 40th anniversary edition of the Rothesay Classic Birmingham (a WTA 250 event), while British heroes Murray, Norrie, Dan Evans and Jack Draper will be joined by Carlos Alcaraz (ATP No.6) and defending champion Matteo Berrettini (ATP No.10) for the ATP 500 cinch Championships at the Queen’s Club in an action-packed week.
Our grass court tournaments will then conclude with the Rothesay International Eastbourne from June 18, where eight of the world’s top ten women will compete in a high-quality field for the WTA 500 event.
The Devonshire Park courts in Eastbourne will also stage an ATP 250 tournament featuring British No.1 Norrie, defending champion Alex de Minaur and 2022 Indian Wells Masters champion, Taylor Fritz which will be exclusively on Prime Video, while the women’s action will be broadcast live on Prime Video and the BBC’s platforms, giving tennis fans the most comprehensive summer of coverage ever served up in Britain.
Richard Daish, LTA Marketing & Commercial Director said, “The LTA continues to open tennis up to new audiences and we have created more opportunities for UK based sports fans to engage in tennis this year.
“With even more British stars competing across our events this year, we want as many fans as possible to enjoy a fantastic summer of tennis and be inspired by what they see.”
Director of BBC Sport, Barbara Slater said: “We are delighted to bring comprehensive coverage of an exciting summer of tennis to our audiences.
“We will once again cover the prestigious Queen’s and Eastbourne tournaments on BBC TV and online, as well as Emma Raducanu leading an impressive line-up in Birmingham and Andy Murray’s highly anticipated return to the Surbiton Trophy. Fans can follow all the action 24/7 across BBC TV and online.”
Alex Green, MD Live Sport, Prime Video Europe said, “We are delighted to be bringing Prime members an exciting summer of British tennis on Prime Video this year.
“These events are an important part of the tennis calendar featuring the best British players and they will only add to our existing coverage.”
VANCOUVER – With the main Cascade Collegiate Conference meet still several weeks away, the UBC Thunderbirds made their mark at the conference’s Multi-Event Championships Thursday and Friday hosted by Eastern Oregon University.
Highlighted by a personal best and a new conference championship record in the 100 metre hurdles, junior T-Bird Hassy Fashina-Bombata finished second overall in the heptathlon with 4867 points. Teammate Rebecca Dutchak also had a strong performance finishing fifth with 4494 points, both easily surpassing the NAIA standard for next month’s National Championships in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
“I’m really proud of Hassy, Rebecca, Egidio (Cantarella), and Dean (Ciarniello),” said UBC Head Coach Laurier Primeau. “So many things have to go right to have success over two days of the multi-events. For three of them, they hadn’t competed decathlon or heptathlon before this year, and no one had attempted one over the two years of the pandemic. Hassy and Rebecca had great days and this will be a nice springboard toward Nationals.”
Egidio Cantarella and Dean Ciarniello both competed in the decathlon with some strong performances on day one. Cantarella finished second in the 400 metres while Ciarniello managed a third place finish in the 100 metres.
In addition to Fashina-Bombata’s record setting hurdles mark, Dutchak finished first in long jump with a top attempt of 5.51 metres.
The Cascade Conference Campionships are set for May 13 and 14 in Ashland, Oregon with the NAIA National Championships beginning two weeks later in Alabama where the ‘Birds will compete for the first time since earning both the men’s and women’s titles in 2019.
Tennis players from Russia and Belarus will not be allowed to compete at this year’s Wimbledon due to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, the Grand Slam’s organizers All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) said in a statement https://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/news/articles/2022-04-20/statement_regarding_russian_and_belarusian_individuals_at_the_championships_2022.html on Wednesday.
The AELTC said earlier this month it was in talks with the British government on the participation of players from Russia and Belarus in the June 27-July 10 grasscourt Grand Slam.
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The body added on Wednesday that it had a responsibility to play its part in the efforts of government, industry, sporting and creative institutions to “limit Russia’s global influence through the strongest means possible.”
“We recognize that this is hard on the individuals affected, and it is with sadness that they will suffer for the actions of the leaders of the Russian regime,” Ian Hewitt, chairman of the AELTC said in a statement.
Hewitt said the AELTC had “carefully considered” alternative measures that might be taken within the UK Government guidance.
“But given the high profile environment of The Championships the importance of not allowing sport to be used to promote the Russian regime and our broader concerns for public and player (including family) safety, we do not believe it is viable to proceed on any other basis,” he said.
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The AELTC, which earlier planned to announce a decision in mid-May before the entry deadline for the event, said it would “consider and respond accordingly” if circumstances change between now and June.
A ban on Russian players prevents world number two Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev, ranked eighth, from competing in the men’s draw. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is 15th in the women’s rankings.
Belarus is a key staging area for the invasion, which Russia calls a “special military operation.”
Women’s world number four Aryna Sabalenka and two-times Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka of Belarus will be affected.
Tennis governing bodies had banned Russia and Belarus from international team competitions following the invasion.
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Individual players are contractors and many do not reside in their country of birth. Russian and Belarusian players had been allowed to compete on tours but not under the name or flag of their countries.
Russian Tennis Federation president Shamil Tarpischev told the country’s Sport Express newspaper earlier that there was nothing it could do.
“I think this decision is wrong but there is nothing we can change,” Tarpischev said. “The (Russian) Tennis Federation has already done everything it could.
“I don’t want to talk about this, but I will say that this decision goes against the athletes… We are working on the situation, that’s all I can say.”
Wimbledon has not banned athletes from countries since after World War Two, when players from Germany and Japan were not allowed to compete.
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The Lawn Tennis Association, whose events serve as Wimbledon warm-ups, also announced https://www.lta.org.uk/news/statement-on-russian-and-belarusian-players-at-our-tournaments a ban on players from the two countries.
Earlier, Ukrainian players Elina Svitolina and Marta Kostyuk issued statements calling for a blanket ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes from international events.
They were joined by countryman Sergiy Stakhovsky — who had enlisted in Ukraine’s reserve army prior to Russia’s invasion — with the players urging Russian and Belarusian players to make clear their stance on the war.
International athlete-led pressure group Global Athlete said that banning players from the two countries would also “protect these athletes who have no choice to remove themselves from competitions.”
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“These athletes must follow the orders from their countries’ leaders,” it added.
British Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston said last month that he would not be comfortable with a “Russian athlete flying the Russian flag” and winning Wimbledon in London.
Huddleston welcomed the latest decision.
“The UK has taken a leading role internationally to make clear that President (Vladimir) Putin must not be able to use sport to legitimize Russia’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine,” Huddleston said in a statement.
.”..We have set out our position with sport governing bodies and event organizers and will continue to encourage them to take appropriate action for their sport.” (Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai and Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Simon Evans; editing by Peter Rutherford and Christian Radnedge)
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Trans women are no longer able to compete in elite female events run by British Cycling after the organisation performed a significant U-turn and suspended its transgender policy.
The Guardian understands that the decision was taken by British Cycling’s board of directors after numerous members – and voices within the sport – raised concerns that trans women such as Emily Bridges, who broke the national junior 25-mile record as a male before transitioning, would have an unfair advantage in the female category.
British Cycling also acknowledged there were “concerns” that its transgender policy – which was only ratified in January – did not match the guidance from the Sports Council Equality Group (SCEG), which was based on an 18-month review of the science.
However Bridges’s mother, Sandy Sullivan, quickly expressed her frustration, tweeting: “Dumped by email. We’ve just received this in our inbox. We will be making a statement at some point during the next 24 hrs.” Under British Cycling’s previous policy, trans women were allowed to compete if they reduced their testosterone levels below 5 nmol/L for a 12-month period.
However, the emergence of Bridges, who began hormone therapy last year as part of her gender dysphoria treatment, and raced in men’s events until February, has led to a hasty rethink.
The 21-year-old was due to compete in her first race in the female category at the British National Omnium Championships last Saturday, before cycling’s governing body, the UCI, blocked her as she was still registered as a male athlete for international competitions.
Emily Bridges had been due to take part in her first race in the female category at a national omnium event last Saturday, but the UCI blocked her from competing. Photograph: Andy Jones
The UCI’s decision came as some riders in the event considered a boycott in protest at Bridges’s advantages. However until Friday she was still able to compete in domestic events, before British Cycling suspended its transgender policy, pending a review.
In a statement, the governing body said: “Due to the difference in the policies held by British Cycling and the UCI relating to the licensing process, it is currently possible for trans-female athletes to gain eligibility to race domestically while their cases remain pending with the UCI (or indeed in situations where they are deemed ineligible).
“This in turn allows those riders to accrue domestic ranking points which impact selection decisions for National Championship races, which is not only unprecedented in our sport, but is also unfair on all women riders and poses a challenge to the integrity of racing. We also understand that there are concerns regarding the extent to which our current policy appropriately reflects the Sports Council Equality Group guidance, published in September 2021.”
That SCEG guidance concluded that “testosterone suppression is unlikely to guarantee fairness between transgender women and natal females in gender-affected sports”.
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It also states that there are “retained differences in strength, stamina and physique between the average woman compared with the average transgender woman or non-binary person registered male at birth”. Earlier this week British Cycling’s head of Olympic programmes, Sara Symington, co-signed a letter to the UCI criticising its current policy on transgender inclusion. The letter signatories claimed the UCI’s current rules do not guarantee female athletes fair and meaningful competition.
The prime minister Boris Johnson also intervened in the debate, saying that he didn’t believe “biological men should be competing in female sport events”.
In a statement British Cycling said it would conduct a full review of its policy “in the coming weeks”. It confirmed that transgender and non-binary athletes could still take part in non-competitive activities.
Cyclists ride at sunrise in London, Britain, January 4, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
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April 8 (Reuters) – British Cycling suspended its Transgender and Non-binary Participation Policy with immediate effect on Friday, denying transgender women the chance to compete in domestic women’s races until the policy was reviewed.
British Cycling said it had taken the decision to suspend the policy due to differences between its own policy and that of the world governing body (UCI).
The move comes after transgender cyclist Emily Bridges was told by British Cycling that she was ineligible to compete in the women’s race at the National Omnium Championships.
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Bridges had been due to compete in her first women’s event in Derby but British Cycling said it had been informed by the UCI that she would not be eligible to participate under their current guidelines. read more
Britain’s Guardian newspaper reported that Bridges had been ruled not compliant by the UCI as she was still registered as a male cyclist and could not compete as a woman until her male UCI ID expires. Reuters has contacted the UCI for confirmation.
“It is currently possible for trans-female athletes to gain eligibility to race domestically while their cases remain pending with the UCI (or indeed in situations where they are deemed ineligible),” British Cycling said in a statement.
“(this allows riders to) accrue domestic ranking points which impact selection decisions for National Championship races, which is not only unprecedented … but is also unfair on all women riders and poses a challenge to the integrity of racing.
“As a result of this, on Wednesday the British Cycling Board of Directors voted in favour of an immediate suspension of the current policy, pending a full review, which will be initiated in the coming weeks.”
British Cycling added that it would include women and the transgender and non-binary communities in the review process.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said earlier this week that transgender women should not be competing in female sporting events. read more
“I don’t think biological males should be competing in female sporting events. Maybe that’s a controversial thing to say, but it just seems to me to be sensible,” Johnson said.
In November, the International Olympic Committee said no athlete should be excluded from competition on the grounds of a perceived unfair advantage due to their gender, but stopped short of issuing regulations that define eligibility criteria. read more
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Reporting by Aadi Nair and Rohith Nair in Bengaluru
Editing by Toby Davis
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson walks in Downing Street in London, Britain, April 5, 2022. REUTERS/Tom Nicholson
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LONDON, April 6 (Reuters) – Transgender women should not be competing in female sporting events, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told broadcasters on Wednesday.
Johnson was speaking as the country looked set to abandon plans to hold a flagship conference designed to promote LGBT+ rights around the world. read more
Charities and organisations are boycotting the event following a dispute over conversion therapy for transgender people.
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“I don’t think biological males should be competing in female sporting events. Maybe that’s a controversial thing to say, but it just seems to me to be sensible,” Johnson said.
“I also happen to think that women should have spaces — whether it’s in hospitals, prison or changing rooms — which are dedicated to women. That’s as far as my thinking has developed on this issue.
“If that puts me in conflict with some others, then we have got to work it all out. It doesn’t mean I’m not immensely sympathetic to people who want to change gender, to transition and it’s vital we give people the maximum love and support in making those decisions.”
Transgender rights has become a hot talking point as sports seek to balance inclusivity with ensuring there is no unfair advantage.
Transgender cyclist Emily Bridges was ruled out of Britain’s National Omnium Championships last weekend after the sport’s governing body, the UCI, ruled she was ineligible. read more
British Cycling had cleared Bridges to take part under their “Transgender and Non-Binary Participation policy”.
New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard became the first transgender athlete to compete at the Olympics Games in Tokyo last year.
University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas last month became the first transgender National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) champion in Division I history after winning the women’s 500-yard freestyle. read more
Thomas competed on Pennsylvania’s men’s team for three years before transitioning and setting multiple programme records with the women’s team, but her eligibility has come under considerable scrutiny.
The latest International Olympic Committee (IOC) guidance, updated in November last year, is that no athlete should be excluded from competition on the grounds of a perceived unfair advantage due to gender. read more
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