France Sports Minister Has Already Made Decision on Novak Djokovic, French Open

The tennis star is in detention in Australia, waiting for a hearing on his medical exemption for the vaccination requirement for those entering the country.

France's sports minister said on Friday that Novak Djokovic can play in this year's French Open, even if he is not vaccinated for COVID-19. 

This move comes the star sits in Australian detention, waiting for a hearing on his medical exemption for the vaccination requirement for those entering the country. He traveled to the country after Victoria state authorities granted him a medical exemption to the country’s strict vaccination requirements. However, upon arrival earlier this week, Australian Border Force rejected his exemption as invalid and barred him from entering the country.

A lawyer for the Australian government previously said he should not be deported before his hearing, which is set for Monday. However, Australian Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews recently told reporters that the tennis star “is free to leave at any time that he chooses to do so and Border Force will actually facilitate that.”

His father, Srdjan, says otherwise, speaking out in Serbian capital Belgrade per Sky Sports.

“He's not in detention, he's in prison,” he continued. “They took all of his stuff, even his wallet. They left him with just a phone and no change of clothes, nowhere to wash his face. He's in prison, our pride is a prisoner of these idiots.”

Sports minister Roxana Mărăcineanu said that the International Tennis Federation protocols for major events meant unvaccinated individuals could compete in the Roland-Garros. Per Reuters, the country does not prevent unvaccinated people from entering the country; however, there are stricter protocols compared to those for vaccinated individuals. 

“He would not follow the same organisational arrangements as those who are vaccinated,” Mărăcineanu told FranceInfo radio. “But he will nonetheless be able to compete [at Roland Garros] because the protocols, the health bubble, allows it.”

Djokovic has yet to publicly reveal whether he is vaccinated for COVID-19.