DeSantis Defends Tennis Star Novak Djokovic Saying It’s ‘Stupid’ to Prevent Him From Competing at the US Open

(The Tampa Free Press) If you’re wondering why the Biden administration does nothing about ensuring hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants entering the country are vaxxed against COVID-19, yet denies entry to one of the world’s elite athletes for turning down the shot, you’re not alone.

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis thinks it’s asinine too.

Twice in two days, the GOP incumbent has scorched the Biden administration for forcing tennis superstar Novak Djokovic to sit out the U.S. Open because he has refused the vaccine.

At separate press conferences on Tuesday, DeSantis defended Djokovic.

“You think about some of these mandates that have been done in the last couple of years. You still see them now. They’re not letting Djokovic come to the United States to play in the U.S. Open because of the shot! He’s already had COVID,” DeSantis said.

“And the shot is not, it’s not stopping you from getting this. It’s so bizarre. It’s so stupid that they’re doing this, but you had a lot of these bizarre policies going on in these other states.”

“You’re letting people come across the border without shots, but you won’t let him come in and compete,” he added.

DeSantis returned to the theme on Wednesday.

“You’re banning Djokovic from coming into the United States to play tennis? When he has already had COVID, and first of all, he’s probably at zero-risk anyways because he’s in such good shape,” said DeSantis.

“Why would you be excluding on the basis of that and they don’t recognize a reason why someone would opt against it?”

For his part, Djokovic has been steadfast in his refusal to get jabbed.

As The Free Press reported back in February, Australian authorities deported Djokovic, essentially booting him from the Australian Open, because he was unvaxxed. The Aussies sent the tennis legend packing because they feared he might stir up “some anti-vax sentiment.”

Ironically, COVID-related deaths in Australia are higher now, according to the seven-day rolling average of mortality, than in February when the Australian government was making an example of Djokovic.

Six months ago, the Serbian tennis superstar told the BBC he “was never against vaccination.” Rather, he added, “I’ve always supported the freedom to choose what you put in your body.”

“The principles of decision making on my body are more important than any title or anything else. I’m trying to be in tune with my body as much as I possibly can,” Djokovic explained.

Reporting from The Tampa Free Press.

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