Djokovic can play at Wimbledon; no vaccination required

The All England Club says Novak Djokovic will be allowed to defend his title at Wimbledon despite not being vaccinated against COVID-19.

All England Club Chief Executive Sally Bolton said during Tuesday’s annual briefing that vaccination will not be a condition of entry for players to compete at the Grand Slam tournament this year.

Djokovic is a 34-year-old from Serbia who is ranked No. 1.

He missed the Australian Open in January after being deported from that country because he had not received the vaccination against the illness caused by the coronavirus.

While unvaccinated players will be allowed to compete, athletes from Russia and Belarus are banned from the tournament. They are being punished for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Bolton says there is a responsibility to limit the possibility of Russians’ success at Wimbledon being used as a propaganda tool by that country.

Russia has two players in the top ten on the men’s tour. There is one Russian in the top ten on the women’s tour.

After Russia attacked Ukraine in February — with help from Belarus — tennis players from Russia and Belarus were able to continue competing but as “neutral” athletes not formally representing their nations. Wimbledon is the only tournament that has banned the athletes from the two countries.

Wimbledon starts on June 27.

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