The tennis player Novak Djokovic is experiencing a frankly disappointing Monday, and not only because he will finally not be able to defend his Australian Open champion title after being deported from the country this Sunday.
The week has started with quite a few problems for the Serb, all of them directly related to the controversy generated by his decision to travel to the oceanic country without having been vaccinated against the coronavirus and, even worse, subsequently offering false or confused to say the least about the medical exemption that he should supposedly have received after being infected in December.
The French government has come to the fore in the early hours of this morning to report that the number one of the world will also not be able to play the second grand slam of the season, Roland-Garros, unless he changes his position and decides to undergo, like any other applicant, a vaccination process that is mandatory to enter the country and participate in major events, with their corresponding exceptions.
As if that were not enough, the Serbian athlete’s main sponsor, the French firm Lacoste, issued a statement shortly afterward that makes clear its need for explanations on account of so much tension and controversy. “As soon as possible, we will contact Novak Djokovic to evaluate the events that his presence in Australia has caused”, reads a first excerpt from the note.
“We wish everyone the world an excellent tournament and we want to thank the organizers for their efforts in ensuring that the tournament is held in good conditions for the players, the staff and the spectators”, says Lacoste about preparations in which, logically, a great emphasis has been placed on the health safety of all those involved, the same that could have put the Slavic tennis player in check with his decision to break the rules.