Novak Djokovic, speaking exclusively to the BBC, has said he would skip competing in Grand Slam tennis tournaments if they required him to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
The 20-time major tournament champion said he did not want to be associated with the anti-vax movement, but wanted to be aligned with one’s right to choose to get vaccinated or not.
“Yes, that is the price that I’m willing to pay,” Djokovic told the BBC Amol Rajan on if he would sacrifice taking part in competitions such as Wimbledon and the French Open over his stance on the vaccine.
Read more of Djokovic’s comments to the BBC here https://www.bbc.com/news/world-60354068
Djokovic was denied an opportunity to compete at the Australian Open earlier this year and denied entry into Australia due to his vaccination status. Rafael Nadal proceeded to break the tie he shared with Djokovic and Roger Federer for the all-time men’s major singles title record by winning the title for his 21st major singles title.
“I was never against vaccination,” he said to the BBC, “but I’ve always supported the freedom to choose what you put in your body.”
Asked why, he replied: “Because the principles of decision making on my body are more important than any title or anything else. I’m trying to be in tune with my body as much as I possibly can.”
Djokovic said he had “always been a great student of wellness, wellbeing, health, nutrition,” and that his decision had been partly influenced by the positive impact that factors such as changing his diet and his sleeping patterns, had had on his abilities as an athlete.
He said he was “keeping [his] mind open” about the possibility of being vaccinated in the future, “because we are all trying to find collectively, a best possible solution to end Covid”.
“I was never against vaccination. I understand that globally, everyone is trying to put a big effort into handling this virus and seeing, hopefully, an end soon to this virus.”
As of the summer of 2021, according to the Associated Press, there is a greater than 98.2 percent chance one will survive if contracting COVID-19 among Americans.
About 4.88 billion people – more than 60% of the total world population – have been vaccinated against COVID. Experts estimate vaccines have already saved around half a million lives in Europe alone, according to the BBC.
