Unclear vaccination status
Australian government announcement: Surfer Kelly Slater will not become the second Djokovic
Surfing legend Kelly Slater in Hawaii in December 2020
© Erik Kabik / Picture Alliance
In April, the World Surf League makes a stop in Australia with the best surfers in the world. There could be trouble for one of their stars, Kelly Slater. The government has made it clear that no one enters the country unvaccinated.
This time, the Australian government wants to avoid days of tug-of-war at all costs: “I think we said pretty clearly in the Novak Djokovic case: no vaccination, no game,” Health Minister Greg Hunt told Australian television Channel 9. “It’s a pretty simple message, whatever the sport, we’re impartial. I hope he gets vaccinated and I hope he competes.” Sports Minister Richard Colback jumped to his side: he had “no chance of coming into the country” if he was unvaccinated.
We’re talking about surfing legend Kelly Slater, the eleven-time world champion. He wants to take part in two World Cups in Australia in April as part of the World Surf League. However, there is uncertainty about his vaccination status. The American has not yet commented on this. However, one can assume that he is not vaccinated if one looks at his public statements on the subject.
Kelly Slater defends Novak Djokovic
The announcement also affects the current WSL number one, Gabriel Medina. The Brazilian is also silent about his current vaccination status. In August of last year he was definitely not unvaccinated and therefore did not participate in a World Cup in Tahiti.
Slater had defended Novak Djokovic after the tennis star’s visa was revoked and he was taken into custody in a deportation hotel: “Maybe Stockholm Syndrome can now change its name to Melbourne / Australia Syndrome,” Slater wrote on Instagram. There is “so much brainwashed hatred in people’s hearts, regardless of Vax status.” The post has since been deleted. The star was heavily criticized for this in the global surfing community.
Quellen: “Euronews”, “The Sydney Morning Herald”, World Surf League
