Google News Darren Cahill explains why he hated exemption Novak Djokovic was granted
by DZEVAD MESIC | VIEW 5491
Renowned tennis coach Darren Cahill admitted he hated the medical exemption Novak Djokovic was granted for the Australian Ooen. The Australian Open introduced mandatory vaccination for this year’s event but Djokovic’s refused to get vaccinated.
Instead, Djokovic applied for a medical exemption and was granted one. “I hated the exemption that he had, because I think that exemption is really for people that wish to get vaccinated and they can’t get vaccinated because they’ve contracted Covid — and you have to wait three or six months, and then you get vaccinated,” Cahill told Channel Nine, as quoted on Tennishead.
‘Exemptions should not be for people like Djokovic’
Cahill thought only players who had a valid reason for not getting vaccinated deserved to be granted a medical exemption. “Novak never wanted to get vaccinated, so I hated that particular exemption,” Cahill added.
“If you have an acute medical illness or something that holds you back from getting it, no problem, but I didn’t like the whole thing from the start. “It was a mess from the start and then it just got worse and worse.
“I think a lot of responsibility sits with the Tennis Australia board. I would hate to see (TA CEO) Craig Tiley have it all lumped on his shoulders”. In the end, Djokovic ended up getting deported from Australia.
Mark Petchey also weighed in on the situation, stating Djokovic is going to have to get vaccinated if he wants to play. “The vaccination issue is going to be huge. Let's be honest, you've already seen France say [there's] absolutely no chance he's going to be able to go to Paris now...
and Sergio Palmieri saying that if he doesn't get vaccinated, he is not gonna be able to play in Rome," Petchey said. “He's got a big decision to make. To play at the moment, he's gonna have to get vaccinated. It's as simple as that."
