Tsitsipas sparks outrage over his vaccine refusal

Stefanos Tsitsipas has provoked a backlash from the Greek government after he said he would have a vaccination for Covid-19 only if it became mandatory to compete in tennis.

The Athens-born world No3, who is competing at the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati, said he was worried about the side effects of the vaccine.

“I am not against vaccines, but I don’t see any reason for someone of my age to do it,” the 23-year-old said. “It hasn’t been tested enough and it has side effects – as long as it’s not mandatory, everyone can decide for themselves.”

But his comments have not gone down well in his homeland. “He does not have the knowledge and studies to assess the need for vaccinations,” said government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou.

“Stefanos Tsitsipas is a great athlete, his skills in sports and his contribution to sports in the country is unquestionable. What is at stake, however, is his ability to assess the need for vaccinations or whether the vaccine has been tested for a sufficient period of time. And he has neither the knowledge nor the studies nor the research work that would allow him to form an opinion.”

Oikonomou encouraged people to instead listen to health policy experts and said Tsitsipas and other celebrities should be careful with their words given their platforms.

“Those who through their excellent performance in other places are also a point of reference for wider social groups, it would be good to be doubly careful in expressing such views.”

The Covid vaccine has divided opinion within tennis. Novak Djokovic, the world No1, said in April he hoped that jabs would not become mandatory for players to compete and has declined to answer questions regarding his own vaccination status.