Novak Djokovic has requested an exemption in order to play at the Indian Wells and Miami Open as his unvaccinated status still doesn't permit him easy entry into the US.
Djokovic still can't enter the US legally due to his unvaccinated status. The mandate was extended because of a spike in new cases in recent months and it's going to take some more time before it gets fully lifted. That was bad news for Djokovic who had hoped that it would have been lifted by now.
As it wasn't, Djokovic requested an exemption, a move blasted by a noted tennis reporter. Jon Wertheim blasted Djokovic for still rejecting the vaccine:
"It’s ridiculous that restrictions and prohibitions still persist here… And so too is it ridiculous that he still persists in rejecting to get the damn vaccine that 99 of the other top 100 players have (sometimes grudgingly) gotten….."
He's also not a fan of Djokovic's affinity to make himself the victim:
"Yeah this is what gets me as well… We all want body autonomy and free choice. It’s his choice not to get vaccinated and accept the consequences. Fine. We should respect that….But then stay out of the victimization lane."
Yeah this is what gets me as well… We all want body autonomy and free choice. It’s his choice not to get vaccinated and accept the consequences. Fine. We should respect that….But then stay out of the victimization lane….
Main takeaway from the last year and a half is that it's Novak's choice to not be eligible to play. People should stop acting like he isn't in control of the situation.
