(Abdul–Rahman Oladimeji Bello, Headline USA) The Biden administration’s Department of Homeland Security said it would not grant Novak Djokovic, the world’s No. 1 men’s tennis star, his vaccine waiver request to compete in the Indian Wells Masters and Miami Open later in the month.
In a letter to President Joe Biden on Friday, Florida’s Republican senators, Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, pushed for a waiver on the mandated vaccination status for international travelers as it held the sportsman back from competing in the Miami Open.
The snub comes in spite of recent reports—and even acknowledgement from top government health agencies—that vaccines had little effect on mitigating the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and may have done more harm than good.
It also follows glaring hypocrisy from the Biden administration regarding its selective enforcement of the vaccine rules, as thousands of illegal immigrants continue to flood the border each day with little or no vetting for their vaccine status.
As reported by The Blaze, the Republican senators appealed to the Democrat administration to follow the science, citing a litany of logical reasons for Biden to intervene.
“Mr. Djokovic is a world-class athlete in peak physical condition who is not at high risk of severe complications from COVID-19,” said their letter. “It seems both illogical and misaligned with your own administration to not grant him the waiver he requests so that he may travel to the U.S. to compete in a professional event.”
The senators noted that the participation of a player like Djokovic in the event will be a clear economic driver.
They added that they hoped granting the waiver would help lead to a full reversal of the mandate for foreign nationals looking to travel to America legally.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., was among the lawmakers vehemently against the vaccine mandate on international air travelers. To this effect, he introduced a bill to end this vaccine mandate in January, which the House subsequently passed last month.
“I applaud the House for passing HR 185 to lift the COVID-19 vaccine mandate on legal international travelers arriving by air,” said Massie.
He said the mandate was unscientific and was separating families for too long.
While Djokovic awaited the response from Biden, Express revealed that he would be pulling out of the Indian Wells competition before the organizers make a draw.
