NOVAK DJOKOVIC, DEPORTED BY THE AUSTRALIAN government on Sunday and unable to defend his Australian Open crown, has some hard choices to make regarding his unvaccinated status in the coming months.
As was already the case, the Winbledon and US Open authorities had made clear earlier that there would be no entry and no exemptions for any unvaccinated player at the two upcoming Grand Slam tournaments later this year.
Till now, it was only Roland Garros that remained open to his participation without vaccination. That all changed on Sunday after the French Sports Ministry declared Monday there would be no exemption from France’s new vaccine pass law.
France’s vaccine pass law, approved by its parliament on Sunday, will require people to have a certificate of vaccination to enter public places such as restaurants, cafes, cinemas and long-distance trains, Reuters reports.
“The rule is simple. The vaccine pass will be imposed, as soon as the law is promulgated, in establishments that were already subject to the health pass,” the ministry said.
“This will apply to everyone who is a spectator or a professional sportsperson. And this until further notice.
“Now, as far as Roland Garros is concerned, it’s in May. The situation may change between now and then and we hope that it will be more favourable. So we’ll see, but clearly, there’s no exemption.”
Get the shots or no “tryst with destiny” is the clear and unambiguous message that has gone out to the world’s best tennis player.
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