Novak Djokovic received ‘no special favour’ to compete at Australian Open, says Tennis Aus chief Craig Tiley

ByBen Snowball

Updated 05/01/2022 at 08:17 GMT

"Any person who met those conditions has been allowed to come in. There’s been no special favour. There’s been no special opportunity granted to Novak," insisted Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley after Novak Djokovic was handed a medical exemption to compete at the upcoming Grand Slam at Melbourne Park. Stream the 2022 Australian Open live and on-demand on discovery+

Novak Djokovic received "no special favour" to compete at the upcoming Australian Open, insists Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley.

The nine-time champion revealed he was handed a medical exemption to compete in Melbourne on Tuesday, having remained guarded about his vaccination status.

“I’ve spent fantastic quality time with my loved ones over the break, and today I’m heading Down Under with an exemption permission. Let’s go 2022,” the world No. 1 wrote on Instagram.

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Players were originally informed they must be fully vaccinated to participate in the first Grand Slam of 2022, although Tiley backtracked in December when revealing exemptions were possible.

Tiley said 26 players and staff had applied for medical exemptions from the 3000-strong travelling contingent – and only a few were approved.

• How Djokovic got permission to play the Australian Open
• 'I wouldn't get an exemption' - Players give their views on Djokovic decision

"We made it extra difficult for anyone applying for an application to ensure it was the right process and to make sure the medical experts deal with it independently. There were 26 athletes that made applications and a handful have been granted," Tiley said.

“Any person who met those conditions has been allowed to come in. There’s been no special favour. There’s been no special opportunity granted to Novak."

Tennis Australia said on Tuesday that applications were considered anonymously, while their reasoning for approving exemptions will also stay confidential.

It has sparked condemnation from some in Australia, with residents in Victoria enduring months of lockdowns and strict restrictions during the Covid pandemic.

Meanwhile, players have also started wading in on the issue. British doubles player Jamie Murray questioned whether he would get the same treatment as Djokovic.

“I don’t know what to say about that really. I think if it was me that wasn’t vaccinated, I wouldn’t be getting an exemption,” he said at the ATP Cup in Sydney.

“But well done to him for getting clear to come to Australia and compete.”

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How Tennis Australia granted medical exemptions

When confirming Djokovic's participation, Tennis Australia said in a statement: "Djokovic applied for a medical exemption which was granted following a rigorous review process involving two separate independent panels of medical experts.

"One of those was the Independent Medical Exemption Review Panel appointed by the Victorian Department of Health. They assessed all applications to see if they met the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation guidelines."

The exemption submissions are all confidential, making it very unlikely Djokovic’s reasoning will be made public.

The full process below is per Tennis Australia:

"The Covid-19 vaccination protocols for the Australian Open, including the process for players seeking medical exemptions, have been finalised by the Victorian Department of Health and Tennis Australia.

"Under an independent process, applications for a medical exemption were first reviewed by an expert panel made up of doctors from the fields of immunology, infectious disease and general practice.

"Applications that met the national guidelines set by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation were then subjected to a second review conducted by a Government-appointed panel of medical experts, the Independent Medical Exemption Review Panel.

"The applications were reviewed and approved only in line with ATAGI guidelines.

"The process included the redaction of personal information to ensure privacy for all applicants.

"The multi-step independent review process was designed to ensure the safety of everyone at the Australian Open."

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