The press is currently actively discussing the conduct of the main draw participant – the American tennis player Sam Querry (ranked 40th in the ATP singles ranking). According to the ATP regulations and the sanitary protocol of the tournament, all players must get tested for COVID-19, and only if the test result is negative can they come to the stadium, get accredited, begin preparing for the tournament and participate in it. Under the ATP regulations, players are supposed to take tests every fourth day beginning with the first day of the tournament. On the day of his arrival, on October 7, Sam Querry and his wife took the test and the results were negative. On October 11 Sam Querry and his family members tested positive which result was confirmed by an immediate repeat test on the same day. According to the ATP protocol and the rules of Rospotrebnadzor, the Russian federal service for monitoring mass events, including sports competition, Sam Querry was disqualified and isolated in his hotel room of the “Four Seasons” hotel. Rospotrebnadzor recommended that the tournament organizing committee, in addition to isolating the player, make a medical report on the state of health of Sam Querry and his family members. The tournament has arranged for a visit to be made by a doctor and a pediatrician from the private clinic Sogaz who made two attempts to examine Querry, to no avail, as the sportsman never opened the door of his room – neither on October 12, justifying his refusal by the fact that his child was sleeping, nor on October 13, despite prior agreement. The dialogue between the player and the Tour Manager of the tournament brought no results.
As recommended by the local Rospotrebnadzor and provided the course of the disease is asymptomatic it was supposed to transfer Querry from the hotel to private apartments for self-isolation so that the family wouldn’t experience any inconvenience nor pose a threat of disease dissemination. To that end, the organizing committee had prepared premium-class apartments. A repeat test for Sam Querry was scheduled on Thursday, October 15, however instead of acting in accordance with the ATP rules and the tournament sanitary protocol, at 5.45 AM on October 13, Sam Querry along with his family left the hotel without informing the reception – as was filmed by the hotel security cameras. As Querry told the ATP representative, he flew out of Russia on a private jet. The ATP representative passed on this information to the tournament management after the doctors made a repeat abortive attempt to examine the family.
Under ATP regulations, the organizing committee is to communicate with the players via the ATP Tour Manager on all issues arising during a tournament. All issues relevant to the relations between the tournament and the players are regulated directly at the tournament by the ATP Tour Manager. The tournament organizing committee has done it all to ensure the safety of the players, the ATP representatives and all the services of the tournament. It is the power of the ATP to evaluate and assess the actions of the player Sam Querry. We are satisfied with the interaction with the organs of Rospotrebnadzor of St. Petersburg and with the continuation of the tournament in accordance with adopted Standards.
“Formula TX”, company-organizer of the tournament
