Melbourne (AFP)
Tennis players not vaccinated against Covid-19 could struggle to obtain visas to participate in the Australian Open, an Australian politician warned on Tuesday, casting doubt on the three-time defending champion's participation in January Novak Djokovic.
"I don't think an unvaccinated tennis player will have a visa to come to this country," said Dan Andrews, Prime Minister of the State of Victoria, whose capital Melbourne is hosting the Australian Open in January. .
"The virus is not interested in your ranking or the number of Grand Slam tournaments you have won," added the politician: "And if these players got a visa, they would probably have to stay in quarantine for two weeks, unlike to other "vaccinated players.
Triple defending champion in Melbourne and in search of a historic 21st Grand Slam title, world No.1 Novak Djokovic has publicly taken a stand against the Covid-19 vaccine, refusing to say if he himself had been vaccinated.
In the face of the global health crisis, Australia closed its borders 19 months ago, introducing some of the world's toughest restrictions on Covid-19 and stranding tens of thousands of Australians abroad.
As part of a national post-pandemic roadmap, the borders were to gradually reopen in November, but only Australians and permanent residents will be allowed in initially, with a mandatory home quarantine.
Also referring to the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, scheduled for April 10, 2022, Dan Andrews also felt that his spectators should be vaccinated.
"The Grand Prix takes place in April, I don't think there will be many spectators then who have not received their two doses of vaccine," he said.
© 2021 AFP