Australian Open organizers release details on medical exemption process

With the news that unvaccinated players can compete at next year's Australian Open provided they have a medical exemption, the tournament organizers have released the details concerning the exemption process.

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said players applying for a medical exemption will have their case reviewed by an independent three-person panel. This committee would consist of doctors from the fields of immunology, infectious disease and general practice and that the move had been agreed in conjunction with the Victoria Department of Health.

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Tiley had previously said all players must be inoculated against COVID-19, with the move throwing the involvement of defending champion Novak Djokovic into doubt as the world number one has yet to disclose his vaccination status.

“We’ve worked closely with the Victorian government to establish fair and independent protocols for assessing medical exemption applications that will enable us to ensure Australian Open 2022 is safe and enjoyable for everybody,” Tiley said.

“Central to this process is that the decisions will be made by independent medical experts and that every applicant gets due consideration.”

Applicants that pass an initial stage will be subject to a second review conducted by a government-appointed panel of medical experts before the application is submitted to the Australian Immunization Register. All submissions will be confidential, according to Tennis Australia.

The first Grand Slam of the year is slated to begin on January 17, 2022.