MELBOURNE, Australia — Two-time Grand Slam champion
Victoria Azarenka threw her support Wednesday behind a vaccine mandate on the
women's tour, as tennis wrestles with the fall-out of the saga surrounding
unvaccinated
Novak Djokovic.
اضافة اعلان
The veteran Azarenka is a long-time member
of the powerful WTA Players' Council, which is working through the challenges
posed by coronavirus.
Those were laid bare by the chaos and
confusion that engulfed vaccine-skeptic Djokovic, who was deported on the eve
of the
Australian Open.
Speaking in Melbourne, Azarenka admitted it
could be legally challenging to enforce but she believes it would be
"helpful for everybody" if the WTA Tour considered a no-jab, no-play
policy.
"Well, from my standpoint it's been
very clear. I believe in science. I believe in getting vaccinated, that's what
I did for myself," the 32-year-old Belarusian said.
"If you ask me just for my opinion if
that should be the case, I think it would just be helpful for everybody in the
world, especially when we are traveling internationally."
But the former world number one acknowledged
that forcing people to be jabbed could prove problematic.
"Some countries will not allow
mandates. I think to impose something legally on the WTA Tour can be a
challenge, I think that's something that we are facing," she said.
Spanish legend
Rafael Nadal, who sits on the
ATP Players' Council, said he was "no one to say" whether there
should be a uniform policy for vaccines at all men's tournaments.
But the vaccinated 20-time Grand Slam
winner, who was "very sick" with COVID-19 last month, said getting
the jab made sense.
"We went through bubbles for two years,
very challenging conditions. If everybody's vaccinated, we are allowed to
improve our life on the tour and most importantly our life outside of the
tour," he said.
To play at the Australian Open players must
be vaccinated, unless they have a medical exemption.
Djokovic believed he was exempt based on
recently contracting COVID-19, but it was challenged by Australian authorities
and after a high-stakes legal battle he flew out of Melbourne on Sunday.
Azarenka said the drawn-out controversy
became "a circus" and there "should be a really hard look on
this situation moving forward".
"I think as soon as there is a grey
area in the rules, that gives a bit too much questions, and situations like
this happen," said the Belarusian, who revealed she caught COVID-19 in
November.
"On certain things I think
black-and-white approach is necessary. In my opinion, this should be the
case."
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