Alessandro Diamanti and Claudio Marchisio have criticised Nole Djokovic after the tennis star received a medical exemption from having the COVID vaccine.
The world’s No. 1-ranked male tennis player is a vaccination sceptic and is believed not to have taken the jab before the tennis season’s first major in Australia.
According to the rules for the Australian Open, all participants must be vaccinated against COVID, but Djokovic, the men’s tournament’s defending champion, managed to receive a medical exemption.
“I’ve spent fantastic quality time with my loved ones over the break and today I’m heading Down Under with an exemption permission. Let’s go 2022,” the 34-year-old wrote on Instagram, causing to all sorts of reactions on social media.
Among them, those of Claudio Marchisio and Alessandro Diamanti. The latter is currently living in Australia and playing for Western United FC.
“Mandatory vaccines, closed borders even for double jabbed, Green Pass…then, the tennis champion arrives and receives the medical exemption without the vaccine,” the former Livorno and Bologna striker wrote on Instagram, as quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Marchisio was also not impressed by the Serbian tennis star and took to social media to express his disappointment.
“Being one of the strongest players of all time has privileges but carries with it great responsibilities,” said the former Juventus and Italy midfielder.