Australian citizens are angered the sight preferential treatment being given to tennis stars. Dozens tennis players are jetting in to Melbourne ahead the Australian Open tennis tournament. Meanwhile, there are around 37,000 Australians stranded the world waiting to return home. Many of these are frustrated at why they cannot return, while sports stars can enter Australia to play tennis. Organisers the Australian Open have been chartering flights to ensure players and staff members can attend the event. All those who enter must have tested negative coronavirus. They then have to stay specially designated COVID-safe hotels. A number stars have tested positive and so could not come.
The special treatment afforded to the stars has drawn criticism and ire stranded Australians. There is particular consternation because Australia's government recently cut the weekly number citizens allowed to return. An Aussie London told the BBC: "I can't comprehend the fact that one week they announce they're halving the caps citizens and the following week they announce they've found 1,200 spaces tennis players and support staff." A Twitter user wrote: "Letting 1,200 tennis players and their entourage...is a risky choice, and what hurts is that they'd take that risk sport but not stranded Aussies." He said: "The government can no longer claim it's just the science".
