Novak Djokovic: Championing player rights but don’t forget he is an anti-vax nitwit
CAMPAIGNING FOR PLAYER RIGHTS Novak Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam winner, now champions player rights through the PTPA, despite past controversies including anti-vaccination views and hosting events during COVID-19 lockdowns.
Image: David Gray, AFP
Novak Djokovic may finally be doing something of real benefit for his fellow players, after some quite mystical stances in the past which included his proclamation that he could purify water with his mind.
Djokovic, with the Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA), which he founded, is leading a number of legal actions against the Tennis Professionals (ATP) and the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) over anti-competitive restraints and abusive practices.
The 37-year-old 24-time men’s Grand Slam winner, it’s worth remembering, could not be taken seriously for some of his previous public actions.
His anti-vaccination stance, hosting a tournament in 2021 in Serbia and Croatia during COVID-19 lockdowns in those countries, and using his public platform to spread ludicrous theories like how through thought alone he can “turn the most toxic food or the most polluted water into the most healing water”.
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Why Djokovic faced controversy over vaccine requirements at the 2022 Australian Open
It’s due to beliefs like that that Djokovic in 2022 thought the rules did not apply to him. Understandably, the Australian Open required all players to be fully vaccinated in order to compete. Non-Australian citizens were also required to be fully vaccinated before entering the country.
Djokovic, despite his perfect health and imperfect attitude, was aiming to compete without being fully vaccinated on a medical exemption. Perhaps he genuinely believed the vaccine may harm his perfect immune system.
Ultimately, Djokovic’s visa was cancelled, and he missed the tournament in which he was aiming for a fourth crown in a row.
Flash forward to 2025, it seems a more mature Djokovic might finally be doing some real good. It’s about time.
* The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media.
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