Novak Djokovic will compete at Australian Open with medical exemption

All players and staff at the event must be vaccinated or have an impunity granted by an expert independent panel.

Serb Djokovic, 34, has not spoken intimately about his vaccination status.
But Australian Open chief Craig Tiley said”no special favour” had been given to the nine- time champion.

Speaking to Channel Nine’s The Moment Show, Tiley added”We made it redundant delicate for anyone applying for an operation to insure it was the right process and to make sure the medical experts deal with it singly. There were 26 athletes that made operations and a sprinkle have been granted.
“There has been no special favour or special occasion granted to Novak Djokovic or any tennis player. There is been a process that goes over and beyond the normal process for everyone.”

The event begins in Melbourne on 17 January and Djokovic said on Instagram on Tuesday”I have spent fantastic quality time with my favored bones over the break and moment I am heading down under with an impunity authorization.
” Let’s go 2022. I’m ready to live and breathe tennis in the coming many weeks of competition.”

The news was verified by event organisers Tennis Australia, who said”Novak Djokovic will contend at the Australian Open and is on his way to Australia.”
Before this week, Tiley said some unvaccinated players had been granted immunity to play in the time’s first Grand Slam.

On Wednesday, he added”For tennis players it was a process that goes over and beyond what anyone coming to Australia would witness simply because we had an redundant panel of experts who, through a eyeless review, granted immunity where applicable.”
Operations for medical immunity were assessed anonymously by two separate panels, with seditious cardiac illness or another acute condition listed as valid reasons, or substantiation of a recent Covid infection.

Tennis Australia said Djokovic was granted an impunity after a”a rigorous review process involving two separate independent panels of medical experts”.
“Fair and independent protocols were established for assessing medical impunity operations that will enable us to insure Australian Open 2022 is safe and pleasurable for everyone,” said Tiley in a statement on Tuesday.

“Central to this process was that the opinions were made by independent medical experts and that every aspirant was given due consideration.”