Florida governor wants to drive a boat to bring Djokovic to the US
"I am 100% ready to take Djokovic from the Bahamas to Florida by boat," Mr DeSantis said in an interview with the Mirror newspaper on March 9. The governor of Florida said that the Serbian tennis player has the right to play in the US even though he has not been vaccinated against Covid-19.
"The Joe Biden administration's claim is unscientific," DeSantis said of Djokovic's entry ban for lack of a vaccine passport. "Djokovic already has Covid and he has autoimmunity. CDC doesn't want to admit this, it's a mistake. Djokovic poses no risk to Miami, to Florida and the US."
Djokovic was denied an application for an entry waiver last week. He then announced his withdrawal from Indian Wells - the first Masters 1000 tournament in the US this season. If he fails to enter the US next week, the world number one will continue to withdraw from the second Masters 1000 tournament, the Miami Open.
DeSantis said the idea of taking Djokovic into the US by boat may be opposed by the 35-year-old player himself. He said: "Both sides are looking, but I'm not sure Djokovic and the team want to enter the US this way. Either way if this happens it will be a great moment."
Djokovic once said he would withdraw from tournaments in the US if he was not allowed to enter. "Whatever the decision, if I'm not allowed to play then I will announce my withdrawal before the draw," Djokovic said in an interview at the Australian Open earlier this year.
DeSantis is a Republican who has repeatedly criticized the administration of President Joe Biden for the failure of measures to stem the flow of immigrants. The governor of Florida used to charter a plane to bring dozens of Venezuelan illegal immigrants to the doorsteps of Democrats last October.
Last month, the Florida House of Representatives voted to pass a bill that would allow the Governor to send illegal immigrants to any state that has a policy of sponsoring illegal immigrants in the United States. Under the direction of DeSantis, Florida was one of the first states to lift restrictions after the Covid-19 epidemic.
