Tennis players who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 are unlikely to receive a visa to enter the country to play the Australian Open in Melbourne in January, according to the top politician of the state where the first major of the season is held.
The Prime Minister of the state of Victoria, Daniel Andrews, has already declared the vaccine mandatory for professional athletes who compete in national leagues, as well as in some industries such as health. On Tuesday, the pressure on tennis players traveling from abroad increased.
“I don’t think any unvaccinated tennis player is going to get a visa to enter this country,” Andrews said. “If they get a visa, they will probably have to quarantine for a couple of weeks when no other athlete will have to.”
“Professional sports is a part of the list of authorized workers and they have to be vaccinated with two doses,” he added.
Australia is preparing to reopen its borders for the first time in more than 18 months, but it will be a gradual and state-by-state process starting in November and dependent on the national vaccination rate. Those who have completed the guideline will have fewer restrictions than those who have not.
The debate on vaccination has been going on in tennis since international competitions resumed after the hiatus at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Some tennis players, including the world’s number one Serbian Novak Djokovic, have argued that the decision to get vaccinated should be a personal choice. Others like Britain’s Andy Murray argue that it should be mandatory for the good of the majority.
