Djokovic granted exemption to compete at Australian Open

The Australian Open confirmed on Tuesday that world No. 1 Novak Djokovic will compete at the upcoming tournament and is on his way to Australia, reported Xinhua.

A statement from the Australian Open said Djokovic had applied for a medical exemption which was granted following a review process involving two separate panels of medical experts. One of those include 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 (ATAGI) guidelines, the statement said.

The government of the State of Victoria, where the Australian Open is held, announced in October last year that no athlete who has not been fully vaccinated will be allowed to participate. That decision cast doubt on the participation of Djokovic, who has declined to reveal his vaccination status.

The nine-time Australian Open champion confirmed the latest development on social media, saying his is "heading Down Under with an exemption permission".

Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley said players, fans and staff at the Australian Open must be fully vaccinated, unless there is a genuine reason why an exemption should be granted.

"Fair and independent protocols were established for assessing medical exemption applications that will enable us to ensure the Australian Open 2022 is safe and enjoyable for everyone," said Tiley.