France rectifies and will not allow Novak Djokovic to participate in Roland Garros
The French Government, which a dozen days ago had indicated that the Serbian Novak Djokovic could participate in the Roland Garros tournament even if he was not vaccinated, has rectified and warns that all those who compete will have to have the complete guideline, just as will require the public and the professionals involved.
The rectification came from the hand of the Sports Minister, Roxana Maracineanu, on the night of Sunday to Monday, hours after Parliament definitively adopted the bill that will impose a vaccination certificate for many activities of social life, which That includes attending sporting events.
In a message on his Twitter account, Maracineanu confirmed that this health certificate has been adopted, so that "since the law is enacted, it will be mandatory to enter spaces already subject to the health passport (stadiums, theaters or halls) for all spectators, practitioners, professionals, French or foreign".
The minister took the opportunity to thank the sports movement for its action of "conviction of the last few unvaccinated" and insisted that both now intend to work together to "preserve competitions" and promote the vaccination passport "on an international level".
It had been the same Maracineanu who on January 7, in the midst of the political and judicial dispute in Australia over the presence of Djokovic despite his refusal to be vaccinated, had indicated that the Serb could participate in Roland Garros, scheduled between the end of May and early June.
The French head of Sports argued then that France would apply an exception to the obligation of the vaccination certificate to athletes in international competitions, so that the new French regulations would not apply to them and they could compete even without being immunized.
He justified it with the argument that in international competitions the "mandatory protocols imposed by the federations" which, as he hinted, would be above French regulations.
Keep in mind that, unlike what happens in Australia, to enter France you do not necessarily have to have the complete vaccination schedule. You can arrive in the country with a health passport that proves to have a negative test instead.
However, the bill on the vaccination certificate that should come into force at the end of this week (it is still pending an appeal before the Constitutional Council) is going to impose it to have a drink in a bar or a restaurant, to go to the cinema, a show or a stadium, but also to use long-distance public transport (buses, trains, planes or boats).