Why is Djokovic not vaccinated and what is the medical exemption requested from Australia?

Novak Djokovic has become the great protagonist in the world of tennis after announcing that he would fly to the Australian Open after receiving a medical exemption to compete after refusing to be vaccinated and who has ended with the Serb being held in Melbourne after having visa problems for this reason.

Why doesn’t Djokovic want to get vaccinated?

Novak Djokovic’s opposition to being vaccinated comes from afar, and more specifically weeks after the world stopped following the appearance and subsequent expansion of the coronavirus pandemic. In a virtual meeting with Serbian athletes in April 2020, Djokovic was resounding. “Personally, I am opposed to vaccination, and I don’t want someone to force me to get vaccinated in order to travel, “he said.

Months later, in June, and still without the vaccination underway, Djokovic tested positive for coronavirus during the celebration of his controversial Adria Tour, where other tennis players such as Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric, Viktor Troicki or his coach Goran Ivanisevic they were infected in an event in which anticovid measures were conspicuous by their absence. This positive for coronavirus was the reason given by Djokovic when presenting the medical exemption upon arrival in Melbourne, a justification that was rejected by the Australian authorities.

What is the medical exemption to play the Australian Open?

The medical exemption consists of the presentation of a document approved by the doctors that can demonstrate the access of an unvaccinated tennis player to the Australian Open in a series of alleged cases approved by the Australian authorities and the Australian Open

The first case that would justify this medical exemption would be that of athletes with heart disease inflammatory, acute or of insufficiency, due to its possible reaction to the vaccine.

Another case for which one could go without a vaccine would be when the athlete presents acute rheumatic fever or serious conditions that could get worse if you inject the vaccine.

The third case would be when there is an infection confirmed by PCR or having suffered an adverse effect during the administration of a previous dose, so it would exempt him from this vaccination.

The last case for which you could receive a medical exemption is for those who suffer from developmental disorders or mental health problems due to the possible effect that vaccines could have on them.

Djokovic would have met one of these four assumptions to receive the medical exemption although upon arrival at Melbourne airport he had visa problems that prevented him from entering the country. Now, the Serbian tennis player will have to wait until next Monday for an Australian court to decide whether or not he can play the Australian Open.