Australian Open releases statement explaining how Novak Djokovic was granted a medical exemption

Novak Djokovic on Tuesday confirmed his participation at the 2022 Australian Open, saying he had been granted a medical exemption to play at his most successful Slam.

The news caused a stir on social media, with a section of fans claiming the exemption proved Djokovic had not been vaccinated and had been given preferential treatment due to his status.

The Australian Open released a statement shortly after Djokovic had confirmed his participation, explaining the process by which the nine-time champion was granted a medical exemption.

They stated that the exemption process was chaired by "two separate independent panels of medical experts," one of which was directly appointed by the Victorian Department of Health.

"Novak Djokovic will compete at the Australian Open and is on his way to Australia," the statement read. "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 (ATAGI) guidelines."

The statement provided further insight into the medical exemption process, pointing out that it was "finalized" by the Victorian Department of Health and 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," the statement read.

Stressing how the process was thoroughly independent, organizers revealed that the panel of experts consisted of numerous doctors from "the fields of immunology, infectious disease, and general practice."

"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," the statement continued.

Novak Djokovic's application passed the guidelines set by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) for the first review. His application was then reviewed and cleared for a second time by a government-appointed panel of medical experts.

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

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

Craig Tiley says "every applicant," including Novak Djokovic, was given "due consideration" during exemption process

Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley also released a statement regarding Novak Djokovic's medical exemption. Tiley stressed that "fair and independent protocols" were in place while reviewing all applications. He also pointed out that decisions for all applicants, including Djokovic, were taken by "independent medical experts."

"Fair and independent protocols were established for assessing medical exemption applications that will enable us to ensure Australian Open 2022 is safe and enjoyable for everyone," Craig Tiley said. "Central to this process was that the decisions were made by independent medical experts and that every applicant was given due consideration."

Now that Djokovic has been cleared to participate in the Australian Open, he will be gunning for a record-extending 10th title in Melbourne. A successful title defense would also result in the Serb overtaking long-time rivals Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in the Grand Slam race for the first time in his career.

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