Australian Open: residents of quarantine hotel threaten with lawsuit
Are you ready for the Australian Open 2021 ? Obviously not. Because now residents of the quarantine hotel are threatening a lawsuit.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Jan 04, 2021, 09:53 am
The plan sounded good: The participants of the Australian Open should arrive in Melbourne on January 15, at the latest on January 16, 2021, and go into a 14-day quarantine with a maximum of five hours of exit (for training) . And, should your COVID-19 tests remain negative, you will be able to move freely and play tournaments in Melbourne from January 31st. And finally the Australian Open on February 8th.
So far so good. But now the quarantine hotel could become a problem. Because in "The Westin Melbourne", where hundreds of tennis players are to be quartered, there are also 36 penthouse apartments - with private owners. And they see a major health risk in living under one roof with tennis professionals from all over the world. This is reported by the Sydney Morning Herald .
It is said that the owners failed to involve the owners in the decision. They were only informed on December 23, but the deal was closed on December 18. And after all, 30 percent of the common areas of the hotel would also belong to these residents. Hotelier Digby Lewis, who has owned a penthouse at the Westin since 2002, says: "At 84, I'm in the risk group, it's terrifying how they try to push this through without consulting us. I'm happy to contribute $ 10,000 or $ 20,000 to aid the lawsuit. "
Hotel manager: "arrangements made"
Attorney Graeme Efron explains, "An outbreak can lock the entire city into lockdown. It's interesting that no one is allowed in from New South Wales, but they are delighted to be welcoming people from most risky countries to Melbourne to play tennis play."
Hotel manager Stephen Ferringo contradicts - the owner company has been informed of everything. And precautions have been taken. "The residents of the Westin Melbourne will have no contact with staff or guests, they will use separate entrances and elevators. Their floor will remain exclusive, and there will be no mixing of ventilation between the floors."
The hotel problem in Melbourne is not the first in recent times: Even at the US Open 2020 in New York - despite all the explanations about a safe bubble - there was a mix of normal guests and tennis players. In a hotel in the Big Apple even a wedding took place, according to gaming circles.