Novak Djokovic and 5 other athletes who refused the Covid-19 vaccine – from NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers to NBA player Kyrie Irving and golfer Bryson DeChambeau

As the Covid-19 pandemic rages on, many major sports events are at risk of being cancelled. Most recently, a controversy involving tennis sensation Novak Djokovic has caused quite a stir. After arriving in Australia on January 5 for the Australian Open, he was held at an immigration detention centre over his vaccination status. Although his visa was initially cancelled, the top athlete and vaccine sceptic has now won his court battle. The case has thrown a spotlight on the vaccination choices of high-profile athletes across the world. Though many have been vaccinated, like LeBron James, Serena Williams and Tom Brady, there are some who have refused to get jabbed for a variety of reasons. Though scientists have largely agreed on the efficacy of vaccines against the virus, here’s a list of athletes who are not vaccinated: 1. The world’s No 1 tennis player, Novak Djokovic The nine-time Australian Open champion has made headlines in the past few days – not for setting another world record this time, but for stirring up a public debate about vaccines. The tennis star’s visa was cancelled over his Covid-19 vaccine status last week, and he was denied entry into Australia. He said he was granted a medical exemption to the vaccine. What you need to know about Tiger Woods’ mini-me son, Charlie Although Djokovic has not publicised his vaccination status, he’s been vocal about his resistance to jabs in the past. In May 2021, the tennis star said he hoped vaccines would not become mandatory for players to compete at tournaments. “I don’t think it’ll come to that. I hope not, because I’ve always believed in freedom of choice,” he said, according to 9news.com.au. “And I will keep the decision as to whether I’m going to get vaccinated or not to myself,” he added. 2. Czech tennis player Renata Voráčová Sharing the same fate as Djokovic, the world No 81 tennis doubles player, Renata Voráčová, was also detained at the same immigration hotel in Melbourne last week. The Czech tennis player was initially allowed into the country and even played a match, but her visa was later cancelled, reports SBS News. The 38-year star said she isn’t against vaccines, but just didn’t have enough time to get jabbed before flying out for the Australian Open tournament, which began on January 9. Voráčová also claimed a vaccine exemption, saying she had contracted Covid-19 before Christmas, according to DW. She left Australia after her visa was cancelled. 3. NBA player Kyrie Irving Possessing one of the best highlight packages in the NBA thanks to his skilful dribble move, Kyrie Irving has earned the NBA All-Star award seven times, as well as one NBA championship, and numerous other accolades throughout his career. It’s widely known that the Brooklyn Nets player vehemently rejected his Covid-19 jab, which he called a personal decision and urged everyone to respect his choice. The Brooklyn Nets have banned the athlete from playing and training as a result. While the NBA does not mandate vaccination, it still has strict rules that require unvaccinated players to undergo daily testing and segregation, reports Sky News. The decision has been costly for the 29-year-old player, with Forbes reporting he could lose up to US$16.4 million. Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2021, wrapped: what we learned about the football icon 4. NBA star Jonathan Isaac Basketball player Jonathan Isaac of Orlando Magic also refused to get the vaccine. According to Rolling Stone, the 24-year-old NBA star stated that he was “proudly unvaccinated” in September last year. However, Isaac went on to say that he was “badly misrepresented” in the Rolling Stone article. “I am not anti-vax, I’m not anti-medicine, I am not anti-science,” Isaac said, according to Fox Sports. “But with that being said, it is my belief that the vaccine status of every person should be their own choice. Completely up to them without bullying, without being pressured, without being forced into doing so. I’m not ashamed to say that I’m uncomfortable with taking the vaccine at this time,” he added. 5. American golfer Bryson DeChambeau After contracting Covid-19 in August 2021, which meant he lost his chance to represent the US in the Olympics, Bryson DeChambeau saw the spotlight shed squarely on his unvaccinated status. According to ABC News, the eight-time-PGA Tour champion expressed no regret about his decision to remain unvaccinated, claiming, “The vaccine doesn’t necessarily prevent it from happening.” “I’m young enough, I’d rather give it [the vaccine] to people who need it. I’m a healthy, young individual that will continue to work on my health,” he said. Nevertheless, the golfer received a lot of criticism for his excuse for not taking the dose. Inside the luxury mansions of football’s richest players 6. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers The three-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers is also unvaccinated. His status was revealed after he was infected with the virus and was ordered to sit out of a major game, costing him a nine-year sponsorship with a health care provider, Prevea Health. The NFL star has been outspoken about his opinions on NFL’s Covid-19 guidelines. “Some of the rules to me are not based in science at all. They’re based purely on trying to out and shame people, like needing to wear a mask at a podium when everyone in the room is vaccinated and wearing a mask makes no sense to me,” said Rodgers, according to USA Today. Want more stories like this? Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.