The decision to grant Novak Djokovic an exemption from Covid-19 vaccination requirements to play in the Australian Open in Melbourne has been labelled “appalling”, with some players expressing surprise at the late decision.
On Tuesday, the defending Australian Open champion posted on Instagram that he was coming to Melbourne to participate in the tennis tournament with an “exemption permission”.
All Australian Open participants must either be fully vaccinated or apply for and secure a medical exemption in order to enter Victoria without undertaking the mandatory 14-day quarantine.
Tennis Australia said players seeking an exemption went through a two-stage process, with their application first considered by a panel of experts in Tennis Australia, and then an assessment from the Victorian government.
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But on Wednesday the Australian home affairs minister, Karen Andrews, indicated the federal government might also have a say in the matter. Andrews said in a statement it was for Tennis Australia and the Victorian government to decide whether a non-vaccinated player could take part in the Australian Open but “it is the commonwealth government that will enforce our requirements at the Australian border”.
The Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, subsequently said when Djokovic arrived “if he is not vaccinated he must provide acceptable proof that he cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons”.
“If that evidence is insufficient, then he won’t be treated any different to anyone else and will be on the next plane home – there should be no special rules for Novak Djokovic,” Morrison said in Canberra.
The chief executive of Tennis Australia, Craig Tiley, said the exemption granted to Djokovic was the same medical exemption anyone can get under the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (Atagi) guidelines.
“If there are several reasons why they are unable to be vaccinated, Atagi have set out very clear guidelines that have to be followed in order for you to be added to the Australian immunisation register and if you are added to that register, you are then exempt from a vaccination and can come into Australia,” he told Nine’s Today Show on Wednesday.
“For tennis players, it was a process that was above and beyond what anyone coming to Australia would have experienced. Simply because we had an extra panel … which through a blind review assessed any application and then granted exemptions if it was appropriate.”
Tiley said it was up to Djokovic to decide whether to disclose the reason the exemption was granted. The Atagi guidelines state exemptions can be given for those with acute medical conditions, including undergoing major surgery, those who have had Covid-19 in the past six months or have had a serious adverse event attributed to a previous Covid vaccine dose.
Tiley said in a press conference on Wednesday he could understand why people would be upset about the decision.
“Some of you will be upset about the fact that Novak has come in because of his statements of the past couple of years around vaccination,” he said. “However, it’s ultimately up to him to discuss with the public his condition if you choose to do that, and the reason why he received an exemption. We as an event, also as a state, as a country, will do everything we possibly can to give everyone an equal opportunity to come into the country.”
The Australian state employment minister, Jaala Pulford, acknowledged Victorians would find the decision frustrating, but said the panel process to approve the exemption was “incredibly robust” and Djokovic had not received special treatment.
“I wanted to recognise and acknowledge that this outcome is something that many of the Victorian community find frustrating and upsetting,” Pulford said. “But I want to make absolutely clear that as has been the case the whole time, no one is receiving special treatment because of who they are or what they have achieved professionally.”
Andrews said in her statement any individual seeking to enter Australia “must comply with our strict border requirements”.
“If an arriving individual is not vaccinated, they must provide acceptable proof that they cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons to be able to access the same travel arrangements as fully vaccinated travellers.
“Australian Border Force will continue to ensure that those who arrive at our border comply with our strict border requirements.
“No individual competing at the Australian Open will be afforded any special treatment.”
Both Tiley and Pulford called on Djokovic to explain his medical exemption when he arrives in Australia.
“I think it’ll certainly be helpful if Novak was to explain the condition for which he sought an exemption and he got the exemption,” Tiley said. “But ultimately, it’s up to him.” - Guardian
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