NEW DELHI: A day after environmental protesters disrupted the second Ashes Test at Lord’s, the Wimbledon organisers on Thursday said they have beefed up security to prevent similar incidents at the Grand Slam event.
The 2023 Wimbledon is scheduled to take place from July 3 to 16.
On the opening day of the 2nd England-Australia Test, three of ‘Just Stop Oil‘ activists barged on to the ground and scattered orange powder on the outfield before being carried off the field. England wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow himself carried one of the protestors out, who were later arrested by the police.
Protesters have been disrupting other sporting events in England this year, including the Premiership Rugby final, the World Snooker Championship and the Grand National horse race, as well as other events including the Chelsea Flower Show.
Multiple media outlets in the UK have been reporting that Wimbledon is a prime target for activists with some seeing it as an unrivalled opportunity for publicity, but the All England Lawn Tennis Club is confident it has matters under control.
\u201cWe have plans in place to mitigate the risks working in partnership with specialist agencies and the Metropolitan Police and should an incident occur the appropriate specialist teams will respond,\u201d Operations Director Michelle Dite told reporters.
\u201cThe safety and security of all our players, colleagues and visitors is paramount.”
The All England Club, which hosts the grasscourt grand slam tournament, said it had been liaising with organisers of other sporting events, including the English Cricket Board, to refine best practices.
\u201cThroughout the year we work closely with the Metropolitan Police and other relevant organisations to ensure that The Championships are as safe and secure as possible and that our plans and measures are commensurate with the threat level and prevailing risks,\u201d Dite added.
\u201cBased on what has happened at other sporting events, and on the advice from our key partners, we have reviewed our security plans which have now been uplifted for The Championships accordingly.\u201d
Stringent conditions of entry go some way to mitigating the hazards of protest.
\u201cOur Conditions of Entry, which were updated in April 2023, include guidance on prohibited items and disruptive behaviour, any breaches of these conditions will be dealt with in accordance with our code of conduct,” Dite said.
Glue, cable-ties and chains and padlocks are all on the prohibited list as they can be used to disrupt events by protesters attaching themselves to property.
While chalk-dust earned its place in Wimbledon folklore through John McEnroe\u2019s infamous 1981 \u201cYou Cannot be Serious\u201d rant, anybody attempting to bring that substance into the grounds in 2023 \u2013 whether it be white or orange \u2013 will find themselves barred from entry.
(With inputs from Reuters)<\/span><\/div>\n