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5th January 2022
10:59am GMT

A&E doctor Stephen Parnis tweeted: "I don't care how good a tennis player he is. If he's refusing to get vaccinated, he shouldn't be allowed in.
"If this exemption is true, it sends an appalling message to millions seeking to reduce #COVID19Aus risk to themselves & others. #Vaccination shows respect, Novak."
https://twitter.com/SParnis/status/1478314179563966465 One journalist described it as a "slap in the face" for the likes of the England cricket team, who had to fully quarantine on their arrival in Australia for the Ashes, with another pointing out that "many Australians have not been able to return home for two years", labelling it as an example of "consistent rule bending for a selected few" and a "grubby decision." https://twitter.com/willis_macp/status/1478485074597216257 https://twitter.com/Globalgallop/status/1478322231847620610?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1478322231847620610%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.9news.com.au%2Fnational%2Fnovak-djokovic-medical-exemption-athlete-not-given-special-treatment-officials-say%2F59eeca1d-b655-4b85-9c04-11f8fa0de72f https://twitter.com/BBCJonSopel/status/1478497144726114306 Discussing the decision to allow Djokovic to compete, Australian Open chief Craig Tiley said they had made it "extra difficult" for players to get an exemption. He told Channel 9 that of 26 athletes who applied for medical exemptions only "a handful" had been granted. However Australian Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews did not rule out the possibility that the federal government may get involved in the dispute and have their say on whether Djokovic will be allowed to enter the country. She said in a statement: "While the Victorian Government and Tennis Australia may permit a non-vaccinated player to compete in the Australian Open, it is the Commonwealth Government that will enforce our requirements at the Australian border. "No individual competing at the Australian Open will be afforded any special treatment." Related links:Explore more on these topics: