Djokovic given medical exemption to play at Australian Open

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Novak Djokovic will get a chance to defend his Australian Open title after receiving a medical exemption to travel to Melbourne, ending months of uncertainty about his participation because of the strict COVID-19 vaccination requirements in place for the tournament.

The top-ranked Djokovic wrote on Instagram on Tuesday he has "an exemption permission."

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Djokovic, who is seeking a record 21st Grand Slam singles title, has continually refused to reveal if he is vaccinated against the coronavirus. The Victoria state government has mandated that all players, staff and fans attending the Australian Open must be fully vaccinated unless there is a genuine reason why an exemption should be granted.

Australian Open organizers issued a statement to confirm Djokovic will be allowed to compete at the tournament, which starts on Jan. 17, and is on his way to Australia. He earlier withdrew from Serbia's team for the ATP Cup, which started last weekend in Sydney.

"Djokovic applied for a medical exemption which was granted following a rigorous review process involving two separate independent panels of medical experts," the statement said. "One of those was the Independent Medical Exemption Review Panel appointed by the Victorian Department of Health. They assessed all applications to see if they met the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation guidelines."

Tennis Australia said the process included the redaction of personal information to ensure privacy for all applicants. That means Djokovic was not obliged to make his exemption public.

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said "fair and independent protocols were established for assessing medical exemption applications that will enable us to ensure Australian Open 2022 is safe and enjoyable for everyone."

Tiley told Melbourne's 3AW radio that 26 players or support staff made anonymous applications for a medical exemption, although only a "handful" were granted. He said Djokovic was treated no differently to anyone.

FILE - Serbia's Novak Djokovic after defeating Croatia's Marin Cilic during their Davis Cup tennis semi-final match at Madrid Arena in Madrid, Spain, on Dec. 3, 2021. Top-ranked Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the ATP Cup in Australia ahead of the first Grand Slam of the season. Cup organizers didn't give a reason. The 34-year-old Serbian has declined to comment on his vaccination status in recent months and Australia’s strict regulations require all players, officials and fans to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

"Most haven’t, 75 to 80% of those that apply for medical exemption, it was not granted," Tiley said Wednesday. Djokovic "went through that process and it’s completely legitimate application and process."

Victoria state Deputy Premier James Merlino last month said the medical exemptions were "not a loophole for privileged tennis players."

"It is a medical exemption in exceptional circumstances if you have an acute medical condition," Merlino told a news conference.

The decision on the exemption will be widely debated in a city where most people endured months of strict lockdowns and harsh travel restrictions at the height of the pandemic.

Reaction on social media quickly turned to questions about the grounds for Djokovic’s exemption, and what quarantine conditions he will have to meet on arrival in Australia.

Tiley said he wasn't aware of the grounds for Djokovic's exemption, adding: "The only way we could access that information is if an individual decides to share it."

Last year, all foreign players had to spend two weeks in hotel quarantine before the Australian Open, pushing the year's first major back from its usual mid-January start. There were also strict caps on crowd numbers, and days when fans weren't allowed into Melbourne Park as coronavirus cases surged. There's no cap on crowd numbers for the 2022 tournament, although proof of double vaccination for COVID-19 is a requirement for entry.

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The 34-year-old Djokovic has won nine of his 20 major titles at the Australian Open. He shares the men’s record for most majors with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Djokovic hasn't played at tour level since the Davis Cup Finals in early December, and has recently been practising in Spain. His posts on social media announcing his plans to travel to Australia were accompanied by a photo of Djokovic leaning on a tennis bag at an airport.