(UTVNEWS | COLOMBO) – Some of the world’s top tennis players have said they do not want to receive a coronavirus vaccine, triggering a major debate within the sport.
Both the ATP and WTA governing bodies have called for players to be immunised, but insist they will not force them to be vaccinated.
Leading stars in both the men’s and women’s game – including Novak Djokovic and Elina Svitolina – have expressed scepticism over Covid-19 vaccines.
Last year, Djokovic said he was “opposed to vaccination” before embarking on a controversial exhibition tour in Serbia and Croatia that was attended by fans. The tennis star and three other players later tested positive for the virus.
He later claimed his comments about vaccinations had been taken out of context in the media, saying “my issue here with vaccines is if someone is forcing me to put something in my body. That I don’t want”.
In recent weeks, the debate over the vaccine has intensified.
Health bodies, including the World Health Organization and the European Medicines Agency, have repeatedly said the benefits of the vaccine outweigh any risks.