Novak Djokovic warned by Australian Home Affairs Minister that he must provide "acceptable proof that he cannot be vaccinated"
If reports are to be believed, Novak Djokovic's 2022 Australian Open campaign might be in peril. The Australian federal government released a statement earlier on Wednesday claiming that the Australian Border Force Commissioner will likely review Novak Djokovic's medical exemption before allowing him entry into the country.
Novak Djokovic, a nine-time champion at the Australian Open, recently confirmed that he will be flying into Melbourne to defend his 2021 crown. That was followed by a statement from Tennis Australia, where they elaborated on the process behind the Serb successfully negotiating a medical exemption against being vaccinated.
Novak Djokovic and Tennis Australia, however, were met with unmistakable hostility from fans the world over and especially locals in Australia, who believe the Serb is being given preferential treatment. Against that background, Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews recently rolled out a statement declaring that Djokovic must comply with the country's strict border requirements.
The statement also claimed that unvaccinated individuals must provide "acceptable proof that they cannot be vaccinated" in order to avail entry into Australia.
"While the Victorian Government and Tennis Australia may permit a non-vaccinated player to compete in the Australian Open, it is the Commonwealth Government that will enforce our requirements at the Australian border," the federal government's statement read.
"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 arrangement as fully vaccinated travelers."
Comments by Australian Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews suggest that the federal government could overturn Djokovic’s exemption to enter Australia. https://t.co/G355p25aVz
The home minister also inferred that in case Djokovic's exemption is valid, he will still need to adhere to the regular quarantine requirements upon his arrival.
Only time will tell whether Novak Djokovic had medical grounds for his exemption or not
Not long ago, the Victorian government made it compulsory for all athletes to be fully vaccinated if they wanted entry into Melbourne. However, they later confirmed that players with legitimate medical grounds could be exempt from the mandatory vaccination policy to compete at the 2022 Australian Open.
Novak Djokovic's participation at the Australian Open has been the subject of intense speculation throughout the week. The Serb has consistently refused to reveal his vaccination status, and has also not provided a reason for his medical exemption as of yet.
Having said that, it may be noted that Craig Tiley & Co. have doubled down on their sentiment that Djokovic has not been granted any "special opportunity" to play at this year's Australian Open. Perhaps fans would be better off if they didn't speculate and wait to see how the situation plays out when Djokovic arrives in Melbourne.