Canada’s health supremo has confirmed that Novak Djokovic will be barred from entry to the country and will therefore miss out on next month’s Montreal Masters.
The decision announced by Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos was crystal-clear:
“The rules apply to everyone. There are a few exceptions but these are limited exceptions,” he said.
“COVID-19 is not over yet. And we need to be mindful of the fact that despite the fact that we have been so successful with two doses, we need to up our game and have more Canadians being up to date on their vaccination status.”
Djokovic had held out only thin hopes of somehow evading the vaccine mandate for foreigners entering Canada.
He is almost certain to get a similar knockback from the US, which enforces the same set of regulations; that would mean missing the Open from August 29 in New York.
Djokovic doubled down at Wimbledon, saying he will never get vaxxed.
His next Grand Slam opportunity will likely be Roland Garros in 10 months, since Australia also enforces a no-vaxx, no-entry policy.
Djokovic would have had trouble at the Aussie border anyway after being deported in January for trying to enter without a COVID jab using an exception loophole.
Under normal circumstances, deportees are barred from returning for three years, though the national immigration boss can overrule that clause.
