Saint Petersburg (AFP)
American tennis player Sam Querrey left Russia in a private jet despite testing positive for Covid-19, organizers of the Saint Petersburg tournament in which he was due to participate announced Thursday.
Sam Querrey, ex-world No. 11 and 2017 Wimbledon semi-finalist, left Russia with his wife and nine-month-old son as ATP health protocols wanted him to isolate himself in his hotel until an apartment is found for him in the city.
The 33-year-old American had to withdraw from the tournament in St. Petersburg after positive tests of himself and "members of his family" for Covid-19 on October 11.
Attempts by officials to discuss his health failed: Querrey "never opened the door to his room - neither on October 12, justifying his refusal by the fact that his child was asleep, nor on October 13, despite a prior agreement, "write the tournament organizers in a statement.
Querrey should have been subjected to another PCR test on Thursday.
“Instead and to act in accordance with ATP rules and tournament health protocol, at 5:45 am on October 13, Sam Querrey and his family left the hotel without notifying reception - as filmed by the hotel's security cameras, "it said in the press release.
As he told an ATP official, he left Russia on a private jet. The ATP official passed this information on to the tournament organizers after medics failed again to examine the family, "it is still written.
The tournament organizers, who say they have complied with the health protocol, add that it is now ATP's responsibility to decide whether Sam Querrey should be sanctioned or not.
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