Tennis star Novak Djokovic should set an example and get vaccinated against COVID-19, Spanish government spokesperson Isabel Rodriguez said this afternoon, when asked if he should be allowed to compete in Spain where vaccination is not mandatory.
The world number one was deported from Australia on Sunday ahead of the Australian Open after entering the country unvaccinated on a medical exemption.
"What Mr. Djokovic has to do is get vaccinated, that would be the most sensible thing to do," Rodriguez told a news conference.
"Leading by example is important and this is indeed what our country's great sportsmen and women do. For example, Mr. (Rafael) Nadal," she added, referring to one of Djokovic's great rivals with whom he is tied on 20 major titles.
Even though vaccination is not mandatory in Spain, the vaccination rate is one of the highest in Europe.
Djokovic travels regularly to Spain where he owns a house in the southern resort of Marbella. He spent a few days there in late December and early January and video footage showed him training there.
Spanish rules currently require people to present either a vaccine certificate, a negative PCR test or a certificate of having recovered from COVID-19 to enter the country, so Djokovic should be able to compete in the Mutua Madrid Open between April 26 and May 8. He tested positive for COVID-19 in December.
Madrid has no specific coronavirus-related rules for taking part in sporting events.
France has said he would be barred from playing the French Open in May as things stand because of a new vaccine pass law.
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Nigel - You are referring to the 3 month average. Try again.
Covid. Have any of you seen the figures supplied today for a FOI by the UK National Statistic Office on how many so far have died in UK FROM Covid? 17,371, not the mega thousands we are led to believe. So how many have died FROM Covid in Spain? Or are you all being massaged with WITH figures.
Just out of curiosity: What does "the great unwashed" even mean? Never mind, I know what it means: First of all, anyone who doesn't get a vaccine for personal reasons as well as anyone who already had the disease and relies on natural immunity. Furthermore, anyone who had an allergic reaction after the 1st dose and therefore cannot get the 2nd dose is also greatly unwashed. So is anyone who had 2 doses but doesn't plan to get the 3rd one. Finally, anyone who had 3 doses but at the same time respects other people's choices is also one of "the great unwashed", just for respecting other people's choices. That's where we are right now.
Don't be a pr1ck - get the jab!
MDB please put a pay wall on this site. We would then lose all the ignorant comments from the great unwashed who because they are busy gluing themselves to roads and climbing trees, dont have jobs and money and wouldn't be able to afford a euro a week.
It is abundantly clear by now that the entire vaccine discussion has become purely political. Also some people seem to suffer from a form of Stockholm syndrome, like: "I took the vaccine, therefore everyone else has to take the vaccine as well, and I don't care if that even makes sense." Seriously, how dare any politician publicly state that someone else "has to .. get vaccinated"? I highly doubt that she is familiar with Djokovic's personal medical records, and besides that, when did she become a medical doctor? The decision to get vaccinated or not is never for the general public, much less for any politician, to decide. It is always between the patient and the doctor. As for Djokovic: I wish him all the best for his health and his career, and I hope he makes the right choice for himself, whatever that choice might be. Because that's what it is: a personal choice that should not have been publicly debated in the first place. End of discussion.
Neil - your blatant ignorance is one of the reasons cases are so high in Spain at this time. Island mentality.
Absolute rubbish. Why should one of the healthiest people on the planet risk that vaccine. The vaxed are proven to transmit the virus to the same levels as the unvaxed, thus not put anyone at risk. He's certainly not at risk so why, to push the narrative.
Is natural immunity a dirty word now? Simply amazing how science has changed suddenly in the last two years. Even the NCAA in the US recognizes fully recovered as "fully vaccinated".
So many down voting, ignorant covid deniers on here - I suppose that explains why cases are so high in Majorca. Typical Island Mentality