How Tennis and Djokovic go against the US Covid vaccination rule

Late last month, Novak Djokovic and the tight-knit group of managers and coaches who live the life of the world’s best male tennis player realized they had a problem.

Djokovic had recovered from the hamstring injury he suffered in January just before the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam event of the year. He won the tournament, of course, but with his injury healed, he was ready to return to the ATP Tour. The next two major tournaments were in the United States, which does not allow foreigners who have not been vaccinated against Covid-19.

The rule, which even some staunch pro-vaccination experts say is outdated, has been in effect since late 2021. It includes certain exceptions, but it was not clear exactly how Djokovic, who has not been vaccinated against Covid-19 and has already long said vaccination should be an individual choice may qualify for an exemption. He was very eager to play, and so began a flurry of calls and lobbying from people who knew Djokovic and his team who may have connections to the Biden administration, including Billie Jean King, one of the greats of the game.

The process has proven unsuccessful for now, but it will likely continue in the coming weeks as the tennis tour shifts from the BNP Paribas Open, which begins this week in Indian Wells, California, to the Miami Open, which begins later. this month. If nothing changes, professional tennis, already missing the injured Rafael Nadal, will have to miss its biggest stars on its main swing across North America for the US Open in late summer. That’s a major blow to a sport struggling to find its way after the retirements of Roger Federer and Serena Williams and as Nadal has been battling injuries since the middle of last year.

Andrea Gaudenzi, president of the ATP Tour, called the necessity of Djokovic’s withdrawal from the BNP Paribas Open a “major disappointment”.

“The decision is unfortunate, not only for him, but also for our tournaments and fans, especially given the easing of Covid-19 restrictions around the world and in the US,” said Gaudenzi. “He is the number 1 player in the world and everyone in tennis wishes he had the opportunity to participate in our biggest events.”

An opportunity ended Sunday night when an Indian Wells spokesperson issued a two-sentence statement.

“World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the 2023 BNP Paribas Open. With his withdrawal, Nikoloz Basilashvili moves into the field.”

A spokesperson for Djokovic has not returned an email, nor has his former manager, Edoardo Artaldi.

It was the moment Tommy Haas, a former world No. 2 and Indian Wells tournament director, had been trying to avoid for over a week.

“He could just say, ‘Listen, I’m just going to focus on the French Open and Wimbledon, try to surpass Nadal,'” Haas said last week of Djokovic, who is tied with Nadal with 22 Grand Slam titles. “But here he is playing in Dubai and he finds a way to win and wants to come to Indian Wells and Miami.”

The efforts made to get Djokovic, the Serbian tennis star, into the country were described by four people who work in tennis, the US government and with Djokovic, some of whom asked for anonymity so as not to compromise their relationship with the Biden. endanger. administration.

The only criteria Djokovic could have met to receive an exemption was to prove that his presence in the United States “would be in the national interest, as determined by the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or their representatives). said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

Djokovic and Artaldi both reached out directly to Ken Solomon, the CEO of Tennis Channel and a major fundraiser for both President Biden and former President Barack Obama. Solomon began calling Biden’s top government officials to plead Djokovic’s case, arguing that excluding him from the United States was unfair and that Djokovic’s presence would hurt Indian Wells attendance and the Coachella economies. Valley and South Florida would significantly strengthen.

“Nearly one million fans visit their combined nearly four weeks in Southern California and then Miami, and the economic impact means many millions in revenue for these local communities, which, if they succeed in attracting fans, will prosper or otherwise provide people with jobs will cost,” said Solomon. Monday.

He said that allowing Djokovic into the United States had nothing to do with him being more important than others and that athletes have often received special attention from fans and “represent the greater history and greater good sports.”

King, who last year partnered with the Biden administration to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the groundbreaking legislation that led to more opportunities for women and girls in college sports, reached out to her White House contacts on his behalf. The Professional Tennis Players Association, the young organization that Djokovic has led since 2020, also worked on its contacts.

IMG, the sports and entertainment conglomerate that represents Djokovic, enlisted its government relations and immigration teams, who often work with governments on regulations and to ensure access for its foreign clients under routine circumstances.

For IMG, the importance goes beyond the relationship with Djokovic. The company owns the Miami Open. IMG executives contacted Senator Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, who, along with Senator Rick Scott, another Florida Republican, wrote a letter urging the Biden administration to end the vaccination requirement.

One person who didn’t get involved is Ari Emanuel, the CEO of Endeavor, which owns IMG. Emanuel’s brother, Rahm Emanuel, was Obama’s chief of staff during his first term in office. His other brother, Ezekiel J. Emanuel, was a health policy adviser to the Obama White House. While Ari Emanuel may eventually get involved on Djokovic’s behalf, it’s not clear if that would help. It could also backfire, causing the Biden administration to worry about the optics of doing a favor to someone who has access to the highest levels of government.

For Haas and others who support Djokovic, and even some infectious disease experts, the continued ban on unvaccinated foreign travelers remains baffling. It is not mandatory to receive boosters. So anyone who received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine two years ago, which was only moderately effective and whose health benefits have likely long since expired, can enter the country, but unvaccinated individuals cannot, even if they previously tested negative boarding a flight.

Gigi Gronvall, an immunologist and senior researcher at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, is a strong advocate for the vaccine, for the health of those who are vaccinated and everyone around them, but she acknowledged that a vaccination two years ago was likely would provide little protection today. She also said it is unlikely that a rule like the one in place would force more unvaccinated people to get vaccinated.

“If they haven’t done it by now, I don’t know if it will provide any incentive,” she said.

A spokesman for the CDC said last month that the rule is the result of a presidential proclamation separate from the health emergency measures the Biden administration plans to end on May 11. The travel rule will not end until President Biden decides to lift it. .

The Biden administration has said it will defer its decision on this rule and all other policies related to Covid-19 to health experts.