“I think it’s BS,” said tennis great John McEnroe
of the CDC vaccine mandate that continues to keep Serbian tennis
star Novak Djokovic from playing in the United States, potentially
including the upcoming U.S. Open.
McEnroe also insisted that Djokovic
“is perfectly entitled to make the decision” for himself whether to
vaccinate or not, according to a video from Fox Digital via Outkick.
McEnroe made the comments to the press during Friday’s Los Angeles
Football Club match at Banc of California Stadium, where the tennis star
cohosted live color commentary with team co-owner and actor Will
Ferrell.
“Well, first of all, I think it’s B.S. That’s what I think. I think
he should be allowed to play. My personal opinion is, I’ve been
vaccinated, I’ve had a booster shot. That’s up to the individual. … He
is perfectly entitled to make the decision,” McEnroe said.
L-R
Novak Djokovic and Pete Sampras shakes hands at the net after their
exhibition doubles match against Tommy Haas and John McEnroe on day
thirteen of the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on
March 16, 2019 in Indian Wells, California. (Clive Brunskill/Getty
Images)
McEnroe’s comments came after the CDC relaxed some vaccination rules
on Thursday, but has not budged on the rule restricting travel to the
U.S. by unvaccinated foreigners. Djokovic has chosen not to receive the
vaccine, which has barred him from competition in countries that have
imposed strict mandates, such as Australia, Canada, and the U.S.
“The guy is one of the greatest athletes in any sport … he’s careful
about anything he puts in his body. … So it’s frustrating. … But that’s
the rules we have right now in the government…I don’t agree with it,”
McEnroe continued.
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates after beating Australia’s Nick
Kyrgios to win the final of the men’s singles on day fourteen of the
Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Sunday, July 10, 2022. (AP
Photo/Alastair Grant)
Djokovic was forced
to withdraw from the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati but
remains hopeful that something could change and he will be able to play
in the U.S. Open. The tennis star said he is “preparing as if I will be
allowed to compete, while I await to hear if there is any room for me to
travel to US”.
Novak Djokovic was welcomed by thousands of fans in Belgrade, Serbia, after winning Wimbledon on Sunday. (AFP)
McEnroe has been outspoken in his defense of Djokovic and his criticism of the CDC’s vaccine mandates:
“These politicians are getting in the way too much,” McEnroe said, according to the New York Post. “They did it in Australia. Let’s let the guy come in and play in the U.S. I mean, come on. This is ridiculous.”
“Whatever you think the government should or should not do, it’s a bummer for tennis,” he added.
“I would love to go to States. But as of today, that’s not possible,”
Djokovic said in March, when the CDC would not budge on the vaccine
requirement for foreign travelers. “There is not much I can do anymore. I
mean, it’s really up to the U.S. government to make a decision whether
or not they allow unvaccinated people to go into the country.”
He also posted to Instagram at the time, “As international COVID
regulations are always being amended, I wanted to wait and see if
anything would change. The CDC confirmed today that regulations are not
changing, which means I will be not be playing in the U.S. I know my
fans are looking forward to seeing me play again and I hope to be back
playing for them on the tour soon.”
John McEnroe thinks it's B.S. that Djokovic is barred from entering the country based on government mandates. https://t.co/rHjX2eiCPH
Outkick’s Clay Travis, who has also defended Djokovic, said Saturday on his podcast:
“Novak Djokovic should be allowed to play in the U.S. Open. The
United States is still enforcing an archaic and stupid, and anti-science
rule that if you come into the United States as a foreign national you
have to have had the COVID shot. That’s if you fly. Now, if you walk
across southern border illegally, whether or not you got the COVID shot
doesn’t matter. So, one funny idea is, Novak Djokovic should get his
backpack, put a couple if tennis rackets in, fly to Mexico, and then go
to the United States border and just walk across and say he is here to
play in the U.S. Open.”
“He wouldn’t violate the law because we are basically letting everyone in across the southern border,” Travis concluded.