Djokovic Vaccine Row Escalates as Australia’s PM Intervenes

(Bloomberg) -- Tennis star Novak Djokovic was challenged by Prime Minister Scott Morrison to prove why he can't be vaccinated after a decision to exempt some Australian Open players from virus rules sparked criticism in host city Melbourne, which endured one of world's longest lockdowns.

Djokovic, who has previously criticized vaccine mandates, is among a handful of competitors granted medical exemptions for the tournament, the first of the four annual Grand Slam events, which begins Jan. 17, according to organizers.

Morrison told reporters that Djokovic must “provide acceptable proof” when he arrives in Australia that he cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons.

“If that evidence is insufficient, then he won't be treated any different to anyone else and he'll be on the next plane home,” he said.

Medical workers were among those to complain at the decision on social media, and the move is likely to be “something that many of the Victorian community find frustrating and upsetting,” Jaala Pulford, a minister in the Victorian state government, told reporters Wednesday.

Tournament organizers said exemption requests had been reviewed anonymously and applied only to a small number of individuals. “No-one is receiving special treatment because of who they are, or what they have achieved professionally,” Pulford said.

“For tennis players, it was a process that goes above and beyond what anyone coming to Australia would have experienced,” Tennis Australia Chief Executive Officer Craig Tiley told Nine Network.

Arriving players and support staff from overseas who have a valid medical exemption can follow the same rules for travelers into Victoria state who are fully vaccinated, though face some greater restrictions on entering sensitive settings such as schools.

It's a marked departure from the experience of the world's tennis elite in 2021 where 14-day hotel quarantine in host-city Melbourne was required with strict rules around daily testing and close contacts.

However, it is the Commonwealth Government that will enforce Australian border requirements, Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said in a statement -- a message echoed by Morrison.

Djokovic, the world's No. 1 ranked male player, last year issued tournament organizers with a list of demands including reducing the length of the isolation period and moving players into private houses with a tennis court, local media reported. The player has won 9 Australian Open singles titles, including the past three tournaments, and is chasing a record 21st Grand Slam victory.

Victoria state, which includes Melbourne, has a double-dose vaccination level of 93% for those over 12 years of age. On Wednesday the state reported a record 17,636 new Covid-19 infections, with hospitalizations rising to 591. In the early hours of Wednesday morning, Ambulance Victoria tweeted it was experiencing an “extremely high” demand for paramedics in the metropolitan area.