Australian sports activities followers have threatened to boycott the Australian Open after the choice to grant Novak Djokovic a medical exemption from Covid-19 vaccination necessities to compete within the event.
The nine-times champion posted an image of himself at an airport on Tuesday morning declaring that he had gained medical exemption and would now be making his journey to the event in Melbourne.
The state of Victoria doesn't permit unvaccinated individuals to enter until they undergo a obligatory 14-day resort quarantine.
However Australian Open organisers say a medical exemption was granted by way of a 'rigorous assessment course of' that went through the nation's Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) pointers.
In a tweet Djokovic wrote: 'Comfortable New Yr! Wishing you all well being, love & pleasure in each second & might you are feeling love & respect in direction of all beings on this excellent planet.
'I've spent unbelievable high quality time with family members over break & right now I am heading Down Below with an exemption permission. Let's go 2022.'
Nonetheless some sports activities followers have since taken to social media to share their anger on the choice.
One person wrote: 'For the primary time in a long time I can't be watching the tennis. Novak Djokovic shouldn't be given an exemption.
'I hate the one rule for the remainder of us, and one other rule for the favoured few.'
Whereas one other commented: 'So vaccinated Australians weren't allowed to cross state borders to see their dying family members however Novak Djokovic is allowed to return right here (probably unvaccinated) from abroad to hit a tennis ball. Unbelievable.'
One other particular person added: 'After all the pieces that Victorians have been by way of, Novak Djokovic getting a vaccine exemption is nothing in need of a kick within the guts. All these lockdowns, all that struggling. Severely?'
Elsewhere one other particular person stated: 'Watching the Australian Open each January is my favorite sports activities viewing.
'The choice to permit Novak Djokovic to take part when he is unvaccinated means I need to boycott your telecast this yr. Completely appalled by this.
The method for getting an exemption is run independently of Tennis Australia and includes two separate medical panels from authorities well being authorities.
The rules for getting an exemption require an 'acute main medical situation' within the particular person.
The federal government well being authorities are additionally stated to have a look at purposes with out figuring out who has submitted them.
Within the Australian state of Victoria, those that usually are not vaccinated should undertake the obligatory 14-day resort quarantine.
Queensland senator Matt Canavan stated letting Djokovic play within the first grand slam of the yr posed 'little danger' as a result of the tennis star had contracted Covid-19 earlier than.
'Pure immunity by a number of research is far, a lot stronger than the immunity you get from having a vaccination,' Mr Canavan stated on the As we speak present on Wednesday.
'So there's little danger right here in letting Novak Djokovic in.'
The senator stated on a 'sensible floor' the participant was unlikely to cripple Victoria's well being system after the state recorded 14,000 circumstances and 516 individuals in hospital.
'Sure, a few of us would like to see guidelines apply actually and continuously. However I feel a few of these guidelines are momentary,' Mr Canavan stated.
'We have to get again to a smart world right here and transfer on with life and fortunately, with the seemingly much less deadly Omicron variant, I feel we're very near that, and right here maybe is simply one other small step to ending the pandemic and returning, as I say, to the land of widespread sense.'
The transfer has already outraged many Australians, who've been instructed they can not re-enter their very own nation until they're totally vaccinated or face two weeks in strict resort quarantine, with many already expressing their fury on-line.
Jamie Murray, the British doubles participant, additionally appeared to criticise the choice, having simply competed within the ATP Cup.
When requested his ideas he stated: 'I feel if it was me that wasn't vaccinated I would not be getting an exemption.'
He added: 'However effectively achieved to him for getting clear to return to Australia and compete.'
Djokovic contracted Covid-19 whereas internet hosting a celebration in the course of the pandemic and has by no means explicitly revealed if he's or is not jabbed.
Nonetheless he's well-known for his freedom of selection views on the vaccine and has beforehand expressed his scepticism.
At present vaccination exemptions are solely handed out in Australia to individuals who have had anaphylaxis after a earlier vaccine or an ingredient within the supplied jabs.
People who find themselves immunocompromised may also obtain an exemption in some circumstances.
For the reason that Serbian tennis star has been granted an exemption, he is not going to need to enter two weeks of resort quarantine - like un-vaccinated arrivals should.
As an alternative, Djokovic should comply with the identical guidelines as fully-vaccinated travellers - taking a PCR take a look at on arrival and isolating till the end result comes by way of.
It comes regardless of sturdy phrases from the Australian Open Director Craig Tilley and the Victorian Premier who vowed unvaccinated attendees wouldn't be welcome.
'It has been made very clear when the Premier introduced that with a purpose to take part on the Australian Open, to return into Victoria, you will should be totally vaccinated,' TA CEO and Australian Open Match Director Craig Tiley stated final yr.
'It's the one course that you simply take, you could guarantee everybody's security. All of the taking part in group understands it. Our patrons will should be vaccinated, all of the employees working the Australian Open should be vaccinated.
'Once we're in a state the place there's greater than 90 % of the inhabitants totally vaccinated, it is the suitable factor to do.'
Likewise, Victorian Premier Dan Andrews stated final yr he wouldn't 'facilitate' unvaccinated tennis stars getting into the nation.
'I am not very effectively going to say to folks that they cannot go to the pub tonight until they're double vaxxed, however sure high-profile individuals who select to not be vaccinated... I am not going to be facilitating them coming right here,' he stated.
When are medical exemptions given?
The Australian Open event begins on January 17 and the ATP has revealed that 95 out of the highest 100 males's gamers have been vaccinated.
In December, Tennis Australia unveiled its Covid-19 vaccination protocols for this yr's event, together with the method for stars searching for medical exemptions.
If an exemption is taken into account legitimate, the medical exemption will likely be submitted to the Australian Immunisation Register and the identification of the participant searching for an exemption is not going to be recognized.
Nonetheless, Djokovic has waived his anonymity on this case.
Djokovic will likely be joined within the Melbourne event by Grand Slam title rival Rafael Nadal, who touched down in Australia just lately and is stage with the Serbian on 20 main event wins.
Nadal examined constructive for coronavirus simply earlier than Christmas, placing his Australian Open participation doubtful, however travelled Down Below after the festive interval and was seen making ready forward of the event on Tuesday.
Roger Federer, who additionally has 20 Grand Slams to his title, will miss this yr's Australian Open event by way of harm.
In the meantime, Djokovic might have related points in getting permission to play in different Grand Slam tournaments this season.
Final month, France introduced that any unvaccinated gamers from different nations can't compete in skilled sport, elevating doubts about whether or not he can compete at Roland Garros.
Whether or not the restrictions put in by president Emmanuel Macron final month will nonetheless be in place by the point the event begins in Could 2022 remains to be unclear - however the guidelines are set to influence Chelsea's Champions League journey to Lille and England's Six Nations match in France, in February and March respectively.
Djokovic may have some difficulties taking part in at Wimbledon if his vaccination standing is just not cleared up by the summer season as at the moment, any unvaccinated particular person should quarantine for 10 days and take PCR assessments on days two and eight.
The tennis participant may even want a destructive coronavirus take a look at earlier than travelling to England, beneath the present pointers.
