France sports minister Roxane Maracineanu has confirmed that Tennis world No. one Novak Djokovic will be able to participate in the French Open even if his is not vaccinated against COVID-19.
The Serb has been facing issue with is visa application in Australia as the visa that was granted to Djokovic on a basis of a medical exemption was revoke ahead of the Australian Open in Melbourne.
The French does not bar unvaccinated people from entering its territory but imposes tougher restrictions than on those who have had the shot.
Sports minister Roxane Maracineanu stated that International Tennis Federation protocols at major events meant an unvaccinated player would be entitled to enter France and participate in Roland Garros, which begins in May.
As the Omicron variant drives a surge in COVID-19 around the world, public frustration has mounted towards unvaccinated people in France and elsewhere. President Emmanuel Macron this week stated that he wanted to “p— off” the unvaccinated by making their lives difficult to spur them into getting the shot.
Novak Djokovic is waiting to see if his visa to enter Australia will be reinstated ahead of the first tournament of the year.
Djokovic, 34, has consistently refused to disclose his vaccination status, while publicly criticising mandatory vaccines. He has not revealed the grounds for the exemption.
“He would not follow the same organisational arrangements as those who are vaccinated,” Maracineanu told FranceInfo radio. “But he will nonetheless be able to compete [at Roland Garros] because the protocols, the health bubble, allows it.”
Source: ESPN
