Biden receives letter asking to let Djokovic play at US Open: Can presidential declaration provision help?

Photo: Nikola Andjic, Tanjug/AP, Wikimedia

Novak Djokovic will not be allowed to play at the US Open as things currently stand in the US when it comes to policies around Covid.

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In fact, Novak will not even be allowed to enter the country unless he is vaccinated, which is something he has confirmed he will not do.

Many tennis fans regret this policy of the US government, because they will not be able to watch the Wimbledon champion, who could in New York catch up with Rafael Nadal's record for the number of Grand Slam titles. Nadal's record is currently 22, one more than Novak.

A petition has been launched to allow Novak to play at the US Open, which has been signed by more than 40,000 people so far.

Serbs from Chicago also launched an initiative to help Novak, so, as reported by Politika, Nebojsa Jovanovic, the owner of a company that promotes professional tennis in the diaspora, in consultation with the Serbian-American Voter Alliance, launched an initiative to enable Novak to play at the US Open and to enter the US.

In a letter he sent to US President Joe Biden as well as to other US officials, Jovanovic mentioned a specific legal clause from Presidential Proclamation 10294, that refers to special exceptions "in the national interest."

Photo: Tanjug/AP

Article 3(b) of the proclamation allows for exemptions of certain foreign nationals from existing Covid protocols, if that is considered to be in the US national interest. In addition to President Biden, this exemption can also be granted by Secretaries Blinken, Buttigieg, or Mayorkas, who have also been addressed.

"The US Open is the biggest tennis tournament in the world, and it will not be what it is without Novak Djokovic. Considering the economic situation and the crisis at all levels, America must not allow the US Open not to be held in its full glory and capacity, which also means the participation of Novak Djokovic, who has been crowned three times at the US Open. Novak does not pose any security threat, is one of the healthiest people in the world due to his disciplined lifestyle and serves as a role model and inspiration to millions around the world. It is in America's interest that the biggest tournament in the world hosts the best player in the world, especially since he just won his seventh Wimbledon title in London," said Jovanovic's letter to President Biden, sent on July 22.

Olga Ravasi, the head and founder of the Serbian-American Voter Alliance, said that they are still in communication with Republican Congresswoman Claudia Tenney and her team, and that she has been very involved in contacting Biden and proposing a possible procedure in Congress. There are also contacts with Democrat Congressman Frank Mrvan, who is a member of the Serbian caucus and whose district has a large number of Serbian-American voters.

The US Open will be played from August 29 until September 11.

(Telegraf.rs)