Djokovic No Jab No Play in Canada

Canada says all players must be vaccinated to play in Canada. “The rules apply to everyone.”

That is what Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said when asked about Novak Djokovic, the tennis star, should he want to play in the Rogers Cup 2022.  He still doesn’t want to get vaccinated.

Novak Djokovic is the owner of his body, so he has the right not to subject his arm to the Covid-19 vaccine. But, the man across the net, playing against him, in a single’s match also has the right to his own arm.

That’s why he allowed it to be jabbed a bit, for the Covid-19 vaccine. He vaccinated to be safe against the virus and also to reassure other players like Djokovic, tennis officials, staff, ball boys and girls and umpires that they are safe around him.

The world is going through a pandemic and we are required to be fully-vaccinated if we want to be with other people. We may not like it but we are animals. We like being among other animals, on the bus, plane, grocery store, and other countries. It is nothing personal.

There must be some other tennis players who share his views about vaccines but they got the jab, because they want to come out and play. Djokovic is a sportsman, and just won the ‘22 Wimbledon Men’s Singles’ title. Therefore, he knows that tennis is called a sport because it involves two or four people: one tennis player against another in men’s singles.

Djokovic’s right not to take the vaccine is absolute, on one condition. He plays alone in the bathroom, before the mirror, making faces at himself. He cannot expect special privileges. He is not god.

Djokovic says he doesn’t want to be forced to vax in order to travel. He is not a bird. He cannot do as he pleases on a plane or in another country. Like Australia, Canada says all players must be vaccinated to play.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.