Unvaccinated athletes will be capable to take part in subsequent yr’s Australian Open after present process a 14-day quarantine, the WTA Tour has advised its gamers, based on an e-mail leaked to US media.
The e-mail, obtained by freelance tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg, contradicts an announcement made final week by Australia’s immigration minister that gamers would should be double vaccinated to acquire visas to compete within the Grand Slam.
According to studies, a 3rd of gamers within the WTA and males’s ATP stay with out vaccination, and males’s world primary Novak Djokovic has refused to reveal his vaccination standing.
In an e-mail, the WTA stated it needed to “clear up false and misleading information” about gamers’ circumstances on the Australian Open.
The WTA stated the data got here from organizer Tennis Australia, who requested gamers to maintain it confidential for “a few days” as it’s nonetheless discussing particulars with the federal government.
Tennis Australia declined to remark.
Victoria State Sports Minister Martin Pakula stated no resolution had been made on whether or not overseas gamers with out vaccinations could be allowed into the nation.
“It hasn’t been decided,” he advised radio station 3AW.
“We are nonetheless resolving with Tennis Australia and the Commonwealth whether or not unvaccinated overseas nationals can be allowed into Australia and if that’s the case, beneath what circumstances they are going to be allowed.
“We don’t expect this to be fixed for another few weeks.”
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews stated final week that there could be no particular offers for unvaccinated gamers to compete within the state, the place vaccinations are obligatory for athletes, coaches and officers in skilled sport.
Pakula stated TA boss Craig Tilly had advised him that the vaccination fee amongst tennis gamers was round 80 p.c.
He stated that totally vaccinated gamers won’t need to quarantine upon arrival in Australia.
“One thing we have assured them all is that vaccinated players will be treated the same way as any other vaccination in the country,” he stated.
From 1 November, totally vaccinated residents, everlasting residents and their foreign-based members of the family arriving in Sydney and Melbourne will now not be required to quarantine.
All gamers arriving from abroad for the 2021 version of the Australian Open had been compelled to endure a two-week quarantine, though most had been allowed to go away their motels to observe.
The WTA e-mail states that vaccinated gamers getting into Australia from 1 December won’t should be in quarantine or in a biosecure bubble.
The e-mail additionally stated that qualifying, which was moved to the United Arab Emirates for the 2021 event, will once more happen at Melbourne Park as typical.
There was no quick response to a request for remark from the WTA.
The Australian Open is scheduled to start on January 17.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
