Former British No.1 tennis player Christopher 'Buster' Mottram has been reportedly banned from Wimbledon since 2023, according to fellow former British No.1 Roger Taylor. The 71-year-old, who was Britain's highest-ranked male player in the late 1970s and early 1980s, will not be attending the 2026 Wimbledon Championships.
Details of the Ban
Taylor, 84, revealed the ban in his 2025 book The Man Who Saved Wimbledon, as reported by the Daily Mail's Eden Confidential column. He wrote: 'His antics and beliefs saw him frozen out by the establishment. He never became a permanent member of the All England Club which, for a player with his record, would usually be guaranteed. In 2023, following further misdemeanours, he was banned from the place altogether.'
A Wimbledon spokesperson declined to comment on membership matters, stating: 'I'm afraid we don't comment on our membership.'
Mottram's Controversial Career
Mottram reached a career-high world ranking of No.15 in 1978 and 1983. His best Wimbledon performance was reaching the fourth round in 1982. He also reached the same stage at the French Open and US Open, and helped Britain reach the Davis Cup final in 1978, where they lost to the United States.
He abruptly retired from tennis at the end of 1983, citing the 'hassle' of the tournament circuit. Off the court, he was a divisive figure, once writing a letter in support of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher during her battles with trade unions, signing it on behalf of the Davis Cup squad. He also endorsed far-right politician Enoch Powell, known for his 'Rivers of Blood' speech on immigration.
Political Involvement and Expulsion
After tennis, Mottram ventured into right-wing politics. He was expelled from the UK Independence Party (UKIP) for attempting to forge an alliance with the British National Party (BNP) and its leader Nick Griffin. Then-UKIP leader Nigel Farage responded: 'There are no circumstances, no possible situations, in which we would even consider doing any type of deal with the BNP whatsoever. I'm simply amazed that the BNP thought we would even consider such a thing, given that we are a non-racist, non-sectarian party.'
Griffin had sought an agreement to prevent BNP and UKIP candidates from opposing each other in European elections.
Impact of the Ban
Mottram is understood to have been deeply hurt by the ban. Taylor commented: 'Buster spent more time there than just about anyone else and it's been very sad to watch his decline and exclusion, even if much of it has been down to his own failings.'
