Some people never learn. Novak Djokovic is clearly one of them.
The top-ranked men’s tennis player said that he would skip the French Open and Wimbledon this year if they require a COVID-19 vaccination—this comes after all he recently went through at the Australian Open.
In an interview, Djokovic said that he’s still unvaccinated and plans to keep it that way even if it means missing major tournament—“the price that I am willing to pay.”
Djokovic has been hailed as a hero by the anti-vax world after he was denied entry into Australia last month. However, he said that he’s not part of that movement but thinks people should have “freedom” to choose what is “appropriate for them.”
“Everyone has the right to choose, to act, or say whatever they feel is appropriate for them,” Djokovic said. “[Everyone should have] the freedom to choose what you put into your body. And, for me, that is essential.”
“Based on all the information that I got, I decided not to take the vaccine, as of today. I understand the consequences of my decision,” Djokovic added. “I understand that not being vaccinated today, you know, I am unable to travel to most of the tournaments at the moment.”
He even spoke of the Australian Open controversy.
“What people probably don’t know is that I was not deported from Australia on the basis that I was not vaccinated, or I broke any rules or that I made an error in my visa declaration,” Djokovic said.
“The reason why I was deported from Australia was because the minister for immigration used his discretional right to cancel my visa based on his perception that I might create some anti-vax sentiment in the country or in the city, which I completely disagree with.”
