Players with COVID-19 allowed to compete in Australian Open

Jan 9, 2023 5:04 PM PHT

Reuters

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Players with COVID-19 allowed to compete in Australian Open

COMEBACK. Novak Djokovic will return to action in the Australian Open, seeking his fourth title in five editions.

Loren Elliott/REUTERS

The Australian Open loosens up on its strict protocols a year after nine-time champion Novak Djokovic got deported for his stance on vaccines

MELBOURNE, Australia – Players at this month’s Australian Open will not be required to take COVID-19 tests and could play even if they had the virus, tournament director Craig Tiley said on Monday, January 9.

The health policy, which Tiley said reflected what was happening in the wider community, is a marked change from strict protocols which surrounded the tournament over the past two years.

The 2021 tournament took place in a biosecure bubble with spectators shut out for several days after an outbreak of the virus in the community, while nine-time champion Novak Djokovic was deported because of his stance on vaccines last year.

“We just wanted to follow what’s currently in the community,” Tiley told reporters at Melbourne Park.

Djokovic will return to action in the Australian Open this year, seeking to capture his fourth title in five editions. – Rappler.com