15/10/2020
American tennis player Sam Querrey has tested positive for COVID-19, along with his wife and baby son, whilst in Russia to compete at the St Petersburg Open.
He should have been quarantining and the tournament organisers believed that he was firmly ensconced in his Four Seasons hotel room. However, a doctor sent to check on the family was unable to gain entry to his room on two occasions.
The tournament's organising committee then arranged for a private apartment for the family, but say it went unused.
Querrey and his wife provided a negative test result when they arrived for the tournament on 7 October. However, they tested positive four days later and should then have isolated in their hotel accommodation.
Querrey was removed, as a competitor, on Monday as a result of his COVID positive status. There should be no doubt that he, and his family, should have remained where they were, isolating themselves and reducing the risk of passing the virus to others.
Instead of complying with the protocols laid down by the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals), it would appear that Querrey decided that he was too important and he left the country on a private jet instead of quarantining.
Querrey was seen, on hotel surveillance cameras, leaving the hotel two days after his diagnosis. He left, with his wife and young child, at 5:45 a.m. on 13 October. He apparently failed to notify the hotel that he was leaving, as well as the tournament organisers and the doctors who had been asked to offer support.
The ATP have declined to comment publicly, but apparently sent an email to players following the incident calling it "a serious breach of protocol" and explaining that "we are taking this matter extremely seriously and an investigation is under way."
There are, no doubt, some who will say that fame and fortune afford you some privileges. They might argue that, by using a private jet, they minimised the risk to others. However, they would still have been required to pass through some security checks, there would have been passport control and there would have been employees exposed to risk at every stage.
I understand that Sam Querrey might well be extremely concerned about his personal health, and, more importantly, the health of his wife and son. That doesn't excuse his 'entitled' behaviour. We all have loved ones. We will always wish to protect them. But, we should be mindful of all of the risks we pose to those we come into contact with, as well as those who are parts of our close knit communities.
If Sam Querrey has subsequently recognised that his actions were inappropriate, perhaps he would be good enough to apologise to the hotel, the event organisers and those they (he and his family) came into contact on their journey.
In the meantime, the ATP need to decide what action should be taken against Querrey.
I would also hope that the authorities in each country he visited or travelled through, including Russia, are investigating whether he committed any actual crimes in doing what he did and, if he did, proceed with a prosecution.
His money or his fame should not be an excuse to allow him to avoid the consequences of his actions.
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