ATHENS: The Greek government on Thursday criticized tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipas for insisting he would only get a coronavirus vaccination if it became mandatory.
“He has neither the knowledge, nor the studies, nor the research work, that would allow him to form an opinion about it,” government spokesman Giannis Economou said during a press briefing.
Economou said that while world number three Tsitsipas “is a great athlete, what is at stake, however, is his ability to assess the need for vaccinations or whether the vaccine has been tested for a sufficient period of time.”
Tsitsipas is competing in Cincinnati this week where he revealed he has yet to take the vaccination.
“No-one has made it a mandatory thing to be vaccinated. At some point I will have to, I’m pretty sure about it, but so far it hasn’t been mandatory to compete, so I haven’t done it, no,” he said.
“I’m young, under 25 category, for me the vaccine has not been tested enough, it is new. It has some side effects.
“I personally know some people who have had them. I’m not against it, I just see no reason for someone in my age group to need to be vaccinated.”
He added that no one should be forced into taking the jab.
“I want to see a better version of the vaccine, which will give us more pluses than minuses,” added the French Open runner-up.
However, Economou added Thursday: “I would say that those who, through their excellent presence and performance in other areas, are also a point of reference for wider social groups, should be doubly careful in expressing such views.”
Meanwhile, in an interview with Greek public television ERT on Thursday, Tsitsipas’s father and coach Apostolos backed his son’s decision.
“Athletes have a strong enough immune system to deal with any challenge that may arise. They take the necessary measures, are in a controlled environment and do PCR and Antigen tests almost every day,” he said.
Tsitsipas angers Greek government over vaccination views
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Tsitsipas angers Greek government over vaccination views
- Tsitsipas is competing in Cincinnati this week where he revealed he has yet to take the vaccination
Sydney man jailed for mailing reptiles in popcorn bags
- The eight-year term handed down on Friday was a record for wildlife smuggling, federal environment officials said
SYDNEY: A Sydney man who tried to post native lizards, dragons and other reptiles out of Australia in bags of popcorn and biscuit tins has been sentenced to eight years in jail, authorities said Tuesday.
The eight-year term handed down on Friday was a record for wildlife smuggling, federal environment officials said.
A district court in Sydney gave the man, 61-year-old Neil Simpson, a non-parole period of five years and four months.
Investigators recovered 101 Australian reptiles from seized parcels destined for Hong Kong, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Romania, the officials said in a statement.
The animals — including shingleback lizards, western blue-tongue lizards, bearded dragons and southern pygmy spiny-tailed skinks — were posted in 15 packages between 2018 and 2023.
“Lizards, skinks and dragons were secured in calico bags. These bags were concealed in bags of popcorn, biscuit tins and a women’s handbag and placed inside cardboard boxes,” the statement said.
The smuggler had attempted to get others to post the animals on his behalf but was identified by government investigators and the New South Wales police, it added.
Three other people were convicted for taking part in the crime.
The New South Wales government’s environment department said that “the illegal wildlife trade is not a victimless crime,” harming conservation and stripping the state “and Australia of its unique biodiversity.”
