Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley reportedly told Australia’s advisory body on immunisation that the Australian Open’s “viability” could be decided on whether unvaccinated players would be granted exemptions to compete.
A report by the Sydney Morning Herald has revealed Tiley’s letter to the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), which was sent on November 10.
The group was queried on whether a player who had either contracted COVID-19 recently, or had received only a single dose of the vaccine, would be exempt from immigration rules that require people to be fully vaccinated upon entry into Australia.
“The treatment of players who fall within one of these categories goes to the heart of the viability of the Australian Open,” Tiley wrote to ATAGI as quoted by the SMH.
The letter came at a time of uncertainty surrounding world No.1 Novak Djokovic’s availability, who this week attempted to enter Australia with a medical exemption before Australian border officials revoked his documentation.
According to the report, Health Minister Greg Hunt and a health department official informed Tennis Australia that recently infected players, or players who had received only one shot of vaccination, would not be exempt from immigration rules.
In a letter sent to Tiley in mid-November, Department of Health First Assistant Secretary Lisa Schofield rejected Tennis Australia’s suggestion.
“People who have previously had COVID-19 and not received a vaccine dose are not considered fully vaccinated,” Schofield wrote as quoted by the SMH.
She also stated that such people would “not be approved for quarantine-free entry, regardless of whether they have received foreign vaccination exemptions”.
Tennis Australia last night responded to criticism over its handling of player exemptions.
The statement was in response to a News Corp report that claimed it had sent players an information sheet outlining ways of obtaining a medical exemption, including if they had contracted COVID-19 within the last six months.
“We reject completely that the playing group was knowingly misled,” Tennis Australia said in the statement.
“Informing players they could get into the country on a medical exemption was taken from the Smart Traveller website that Greg Hunt directly referred us to.”
Djokovic is being held at an immigration detention hotel in Melbourne ahead of a court hearing on Monday to challenge the decision to revoke his visa.
The SMH reported that Djokovic had hoped to move to a private residence, which he had rented in Melbourne before federal authorities shut down that request.
He also requested his personal chef, which was also rejected.
The Park Hotel, where Djokovic is staying, will have its own chef cooking for Djokovic and adhering to his specific dietary requirements.
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