Sean, this is starting to sound like an unhealthy obsession. No it is not believable. But then if the rulebook stops supporting ”the situation at hand” you throw it out. Especially during these times when the rulebooks lack quite a lot of credibility as they change by the week and by country.

Nole prob do not want to take the jab. Maybe his problem is that he is so healthy he has not gotten sick. Came to mind did he not have a book written? Have not read it but it might even have a bigger influence against covid than a random overweight bloke having a shot of something that is payed by taxpayers and has been made by a company that probably (cochrane institute I believable is one that tries to keep up) has been SENTENCED to over a billion US $ for hiding research results that would speak AGAINST letting out a prescription drug on the market.

Try to eat well, sleep well, exercize, keep up a good spirit – take care of youre immune system – cheapest way for all. Except drug companies.

January 12th, 2022 at 3:43 am

I am a long time reader of the disfunctional tennis blog. Still remember the times when Sean called Novak – garbage man, that was after he won the title, at the event where Nadal and Federer were not in the finals. So I guess that illustrates his obsession with Nole very well. Just imagine that, winning a title and being called a garbage man, all comming from a tennis journalist.

Well 10 years later, your “garbage man” has 20 GS titles, and is becoming/already is a GOAT.

January 12th, 2022 at 5:57 am

And the beat goes on;

https://twitter.com/BenRothenberg/status/1481173036766470144

January 12th, 2022 at 8:44 am

Nah.

January 12th, 2022 at 10:10 am

Where is Bog Boy? He usually gives us news. Lol

January 12th, 2022 at 10:14 am

…and on and on:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HliNLBvLV0M

January 12th, 2022 at 10:50 am

“So I’m able to forgive the mistake on the form — that happens.”

Even though that travel question had a ‘warning’ with serious consequences?
Ridiculous to even say that, Sean. smh

January 12th, 2022 at 1:58 pm

We are now seeing ND for what he really is.
An uncaring, irresponsible, manipulative individual.
Take the consequences Novak and fly home to Serbia where you can organise another one of your lockdown tournaments or should we call it a Novax tournament?
Keep bouncing that ball!
By the way, imo, that’s also cheating.

January 12th, 2022 at 2:38 pm

Take away his basketball serve and he would have won six fewer GS titles.

January 12th, 2022 at 2:40 pm

This is all meaningless nitpicking.

He tested positive but had no symptoms, so WHO CARES if he was around people?

Who cares if he traveled to other EU countries in the 14 days prior to arriving in AUS?

Oooh — he took his mask off for a photograph. How dare he!!

This is a perfectly healthy man who poses no risk to anyone. Covid has driven people crazy.

January 12th, 2022 at 4:09 pm

Nitpicking? Yeah..don’t think so;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10396519/Djokovic-trouble-THREE-countries-Concerns-star-broke-Spains-rules-visiting.html

January 12th, 2022 at 10:44 pm

@lylenubbins Even if you are perfectly healthy and have no symptoms, you can still spread the virus. You do know that right ?

January 12th, 2022 at 10:46 pm

“He tested positive but had no symptoms, so WHO CARES if he was around people?”
Uh.. maybe he can infect others?
#getvaxed
#wearamask
#helpstopthespread

January 12th, 2022 at 10:51 pm

There ae anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers that many can accept because they are honest and don’t go around thinking they are above the Masses.

The ones that can have closed California hairdressers open, can have a yacht vacation out of Melbourne during the lockdown like all the rich and powerful do. Or athletes, because they are a superstar, don’t need the vaccinations ordinary players will. Get to call the ones that do follow rules “the sheep”.

Djokovic, at a time when ATP vaccination rate is 97% for the ATP’s travel to 30 foreign countries a regular player has to visit, was apparently in the 3% that are hurt, contemplating retirement vs. getting “the death shot”. He had no paperwork going before late December, refused to tell his ATP Cup team mates his vaxx status or later, why he with drew. No paperwork, but then started practicing by late Dec for the AO on court made for him of the same surface, with the same spec balls as Australia will use. Maybe after getting Omicron his Dad said it was a sign he was Jesus Christ on Earth and his Divine Father wanted him to play the AO.
After journeying to Spain, neglecting to inform them he was positive on his travel paperwork to that country. Maybe Serbia gives it’s national hero a pass for violating laws there, but his new residence is officially Marbella Spain and Spanish Authorities may not.
So to be in the last 3%. To be one of the Biggest Celebs of the ” Unvaccinated Heroes”, vs. the sheep. To have it all His Way – Djokovic is in defiance of 3 nations Covid laws regarding entry and behavior. He is also once again doing stuff on Tour that undermines his efforts to be a team guy and a regular guy with 97% of the players. (and the Officials and Tour execs, 99% vaccinated, and the woman players 98% vaccinated.)
Nadal said it would have been best if Novak was vaccinated. It helps no one that he is not. It creates a circus and embarrasses the sport and it’s on Djokovic not others, for creating the mess.

January 12th, 2022 at 11:50 pm

^mic drop.👍

January 13th, 2022 at 12:32 am

Mandating vaccines that don’t even work against new virus mutations… Now that is something else. And being skeptical about this one particular product is not being skeptical about vaccines in general.

However, it is nice to see that as of November 1st Australia recognizes Sinopharm China (for people under 60). Adding Russian Sputnik vaccine to that list would reduce vaccine hesitancy, and certainly aid in framing this whole situation as a health issue, and not a political one.

January 13th, 2022 at 3:59 am

I have a question. Why is he still allowed to stay in the country?

January 13th, 2022 at 6:13 am

Absolute fiasco. Political theatre.

World Number 1 should be thinking about others when playing at the Australian Open. It is not just about him, but the players, the community with whom he calls a family.

Enormous hype detracting from what would otherwise be one of the highlights of the tour. Still is, but let’s hope the players, every single player can focus on what is important now after this unnecessary distraction.

Draining.

January 13th, 2022 at 6:47 am

Let Novak play on his own with all the other antivax brigade.
Better still, hand him the trophy now.

January 13th, 2022 at 8:42 am

Giles,

Maybe this could help you a bit:

https://www.politico.eu/article/australia-paralyzed-deporting-novak-djokovic-tennis/

Furthermore, Nole did nothing wrong on Australian soil, he got a visa, legally.

January 13th, 2022 at 8:58 am

The more I think about it, the more I wish some other country could do a great job with a Grand Slam. It is a shame that a sportsman is informed, he is allowed to travel into that country (work purpose) and he gets detained…and the government of that country is getting pissed of, because the man is fighting for his rights and he’s suing them.

Well done, Nole, you did not cause any harm to Australians! Fight or your rights!

January 13th, 2022 at 9:17 am

This is really a country, which should host a grand slam? Really?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2022/01/12/renata-voracova-reveals-told-undress-questioning-australian/

January 13th, 2022 at 9:35 am

We live in “interesting times”, of the old Chinese proverb. I was watching TV news yesterday here in UK, and the top three stories were of people who had done something badly wrong and were now being pursued by the media for it.

The top story was about Boris Johnson, the PM, the push for him to resign immediately. Last year, he put the country under draconian lockdown, families couldn’t meet up with other family members, couldn’t visit dying granny in hospital, couldn’t see closest relatives in care homes, lots of people made great sacrifices and suffered considerable hardships in order to stick to the rules, which Boris Johnson’s Government brought in. In the meantime, Boris Johnson’s was having numerous social events at No.10, including a Bring-a-bottle-party. For the past 18 months he’s been lying that these were work meetings, that he wasn’t there, police refusing to investigate it, and then finally yesterday he admitted it and apologised, and the entire house of commons was there to hear him, expecting him to resign.

The second story was all about Prince Andrew (Queen’s 2nd son, for those who don’t know), who is in trouble over the accusations in US that he had hanky-panky with a 17 year old girl, sex-trafficked by Gislane Maxwell of the Robert Maxwell media empire, who – because of her age and vulnerability at the time, is effectively accusing him of rape. Prince Andrew denied remembering her, knowing anything about it, tried and failed to get the case thrown out of court on technical grounds. Now, decades later, it may well be true that he doesn’t remember it, and for decades the police didn’t investigate it, but now they are – decades later. And decades later, Prince Andrew admitting nothing, remembering nothing, while the girl, now grown up, has full memory. Prince Andrew didn’t make the rules, but he should have known them, and – he could turn out not to have broken them after all. But why has this taken so long to come to light?

The third story was Djokovic, admitting the first chance he got that he attended a meeting with a L’equipe journalist while he was positive, and while he should have been self-isolating. This 3rd story got very little coverage compared to the far more momentous events in yesterday’s news.

I must admit that out of these three stories the one which saddened and disappointed me most, was the one about Djokovic. We know the kind of world we live in, and it ain’t pretty. While the other two stories are far more momentous – a lying Prime Minister, breaking his own rules draconian rules, telling the public “We’re all in it together”, not coming clean for 18 months, and failing to do the honourable deed – i.e. to resign is the most serious.

A laddish Prince Andrew, developing amnesia in his supposedly more mature years, trying to wriggle out of his (potential) salad-days indiscretions through technicalities, well we don’t know who will win the case, or whether he will just ignore it and never go to the States again, rather feebly suggesting it was a case of mistaken identity because he doesn’t sweat, just seems very murky. However – the ugliest part of the whole thing is that the US police failed for decades to investigate a potential abuse of a vulnerable and defenceless 17 year old girl, and by failing to investigate, they brought big trouble to whichever of the two loses the case!

And finally, Djokovic, he’s not the first to break self-isolation rules, but I expected better of him. There might be mitigating circumstances, e.g. he wore a mask, refused to take it off when asked, was a long way away from others during the photo shoot, might have been feeling fine – but it was not his call to make! He should have cancelled that meeting because that is what the rules required of him. It’s a stain on on otherwise blemish free life, and I’m sure he will regret it more deeply than Boris Johnson or Prince Andrew.

I’m also sure that he’ll take his just deserts like a man, the penalties for breaking self-isolation in Serbia probably await him. I can’t imagine that in such a public situation, Serbia won’t pick him up on that formally.

Will Johnson and the Royal Prince also suffer the consequences? Well, we’ll see. As I said, we live in interesting times.

I

January 13th, 2022 at 10:28 am

Tennispompom,

Point 3 made me sad aswell, and I am sure he regrets it now, but still…

But I will not say now, he deserved, what the Australian Gov did to Renata and to him. They coulld have handled this differently, but it was just used as Advertising.

January 13th, 2022 at 10:44 am

Van Persia, yes, that story was on BBC and Guardian. Absolutely shocking. I’m surprised that it gets so little coverage in the media.

Poor girl! No wonder she wasn’t able to have the presence of mind to organise an appeal – I can imagine her state of mind at the time. Who knows, perhaps she wasn’t allowed to talk with her lawyers, just like Djokovic.

Australia’s providing more and more proof that they’re incapable of treating international athletes fairly, or even humanely. As such, they seem a poor choice of country to host international sports events.

January 13th, 2022 at 10:46 am

TP,

She did not have the money and was also to shocked to think about suing them, she told. she just wanted to come home. Nole has the money and was not that intimidated. If I am not mistaken, she is suing Tennis Australia atm?

January 13th, 2022 at 10:57 am

First @ Anto – – asymptomatic spread is not a thing. That’s a myth.

Second, all the criticisms of Djoker have one thing in common – – no basis in any actual threat he poses to anyone’s health.

Third, no way 97% of the players took the “vaccine.” They’ve seen the videos of soccer players and other athletes having heart attacks. There has to be a substantial amount of fraud.

Fourth, I would be shocked if AUS lets Djoker stay and play. They are completely unhinged down there, beating people in the streets, arresting people who say negative things about the lockdowns, having internment camps for people suspected of covid, etc. Fully expect Nole to be deported so those psychos can send a message. Madness.

January 13th, 2022 at 11:03 am

The thing with Novax Jokeovic is that he has never been that popular outside of Serbia. It will be interesting to see how the Australian public react when, and if, he walks out onto that court next Monday.
Should make interesting viewing.

January 13th, 2022 at 11:11 am

lylenubbins

I’ve had two close friends who died of Covid.
I have no respect for Djokovic whatever the outcome.

January 13th, 2022 at 11:14 am

Van Persie, sorry for mis-spelling your name earlier.

I heard she’s planning to sue Tennis Australia, not the State. She should appeal, but they won’t give her any compensation – she’d be lucky to get an apology from those perverted bullies. Why on earth did they ask her to take her clothes off? Even if she needed to proove some medical point, surely they would have sent her to a doctor to examine her in privacy.

Czech Republic has protested against her treatment – officially, but not heard any response yet.

I’m a bit surprised that the normally vociferous Navratilova had nothing to say about a former countrywoman of hers. But perhaps I missed it.

January 13th, 2022 at 1:45 pm

Further to my first post here, just heard on the news that Prince Andrew has been stripped of all his military titles. Punished before the outcome of the case is known! That’s a trifle unfair too, don’t you think? Perhaps it just means that he’s decided not to deal with the court hearing, and the punishment isn’t for what he might have done 20 years ago, but for refusing to deal with it in court now.

January 13th, 2022 at 2:13 pm

Nole’s visa will be canceled today, government painted itself into corner, they have to do it, public wouldn’t disagree since they used this time to demonise him so they can justify it, but they are in for a rude surprise, stay tuned and stupid Australian taxpayer (voter) will pick up the bill.

I’ll share with you what friend of mine sent to me, first the nonsense statement from Pfizer CEO, and that after they told us we have to get third jab 4 months after second and fourth and so on….:

“Pfizer CEO: I’m a big fan of #Djokovic. Previous infection provides protection, but it doesn’t last as long as with the vaccine.
Said that he can’t get into the case.”

This articale is breath of fresh air in Australian journalism, few of you here that are not brainwashed and the hate hasn’t damaged your brain read it, please, to the ened, you will love it, I guarantee:

https://www.spectator.com.au/2022/01/welcome-to-australia-mate-jab-or-jail/

January 13th, 2022 at 3:26 pm

lylenubbins,

Funny you mentioned internment camps, Australia is well accustomed to that, if we forget Indigenous people and the way they were treated, the very people who were considered officially subhuman until 1966 when for the first time they were given right to vote in their own land, not to talk about the kids taken from them and given to white families because they would raise them better, but what would you expect better from the nation that belongs to the nation (UK) that sent 10 thousand kids to Australia after WW2 and their only fault was that they were illegitimate kids of British women and American soldiers. These kids suffered enormously in different orphanages across Australia.

But that wasn’t my point about interment camps, Australia put its own law abiding citizens in interment camps, behind barbed wire in WW1 and WW2 only because of their origins and background.
In WW1 thousands of German settlers and their kids from South Australia and Queensland were considered enemies, rounded up and sent behind barbed wire, even lot of them didn’t speak a word of German.
In WW2, thousands of Italian settlers, particularly from Queensland where they had sugar cane farms, were considered enemies, rounded up and sent behind barbed wire. There is story when they were put in the train and transported to Cowra in NSW where the camp was they crossed the path with another train full of American soldiers who were in Australia to fight Japanese, they heard those Australians talking Italian and having quite a few Italian speaking American they had a shock of their lives when they found out where these people are going and why so.

The worst part of it, Australian kids don’t learn that at school, when I took my kid on a trip to Cowra, where also was Japanese war prisoner camp, my kids didn’t have a clue about Italian camp, they don’t teach them that part of history at school, Australia never apologised to their citizens of German and Italian background for injustice and destroying their lives.

January 13th, 2022 at 3:56 pm

Oh yeah, it’s everyone else’s fault, not Novax Djoker.
LMAO changing topics to distract away from the Djoker.

January 13th, 2022 at 8:32 pm

Sorry, I don’t feed trolls this month, try next month.

January 13th, 2022 at 9:16 pm

Ya, me neither.

January 13th, 2022 at 10:12 pm

Tennispompom –
Victimhood is never as good as it is cracked up to be. In Giuffre, the self-identified ‘victim’ of his royal sleaziness Andrew and masseuse to Big Bill – was a busy teen prostitute, starting when she was 16. When she turned 18 she became a recruiter of other teen girls out hustling. Making far more money than they were accustomed to getting from Johns, taking the pimp beat-downs and sex assaults all went away. Giuffre was rewarded with big finder’s fees.

She also did a half million NDA with Epstein, swearing in return for the money, she gave up her right to sue Epstein or his guests.

The guys involved are slimy so are the female recruiters of willing young ‘pro” talent – like Maxwell and Giuffre. But unlike Djokovics “I’m so special!!” troubles, or BoJo’s “rules for me and not for thee” mess, that sad repellent love nest Epstein created for the select rich and powerful was over long ago.

But nothing to do with the AO…..
This could be a very long, damaging year for Djokovic if he doesn’t smarten up, fast.
Whatever happens in Australia, whatever the reaction of Aussies to him, it’s just the start.
All his rivals appear vaccinated, they can access restaurants, hotels, all the countries on tour. 97% of ATP players are vaccinated and of the ones that aren’t, the majority are injured, inactive, mostly retired, and not on the Tour at present.
Novak will face obstacles following right after Australia. Unless he gets superstar exemptions as a special person, he can’t do events in Latin and N America in the early spring. Even Rotterdam is not sure for the willfully Unvaccinated that are not members of the Schengen Area Pact.

As for America: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Order, which took effect November 8, 2021, requiring all non-immigrant, non-citizen air travelers to the United States to be fully vaccinated and to provide proof of vaccination status prior to boarding an airplane to the United States remains in effect.

My two cents: Novak, apologize for embarrassing Australia and say you do not demand special rule exceptions as a Superstar. His image has suffered, he is at risk of losing endorsements over this. The smart thing to do would be to say he thought about it and decided it is best for him and his family to get vaccinated. Because he is not ready to quit tennis, dig a hole in a Serb hillside, grow a long beard and sell quack cures for Covid, cancer, whatever.

January 14th, 2022 at 12:41 am

CF1, you start off with a statement that this could be a long, damaging year for Djokovic is he doesn’t smarten up, and then go on to explain that smartening up means informing the public that he has thought things through, and has decided to get himself and his family vaccinated.

Curious requirement. You phrase it as if were more important to announce the fact that he has reversed his decision, effectively done a U-turn, than the act of getting vaccinated itself. Surprising that you didn’t just say “get vaccinated and then it’s OK to keep the vaccination status confidential”. On reflection, I suspect that you’ve hit the nail on the head! The more I think about this the more I realise that this is all about pressurising Djokovic into publically promoting a policy which he doesn’t want to promote.

Apparently, his attempts at staying out of the debate (by keeping his vaccination status confidential, earlier saying that it’s a personal matter for individuals whether to vaccinate or not), is not acceptable to the powers that be, whose attitude is becoming clearer by the day: >> you’re either with us or against us << is the message.

1st, I don't know what Djokovic is likely to do in the circumstances. In his often misinterpreted zoom conversation with his tennis colleagues in early 2020, he said that he was against getting vaccinated himself, but if it became essential in order to be able to travel, he'd consider it. That was before any vaccinations were available, and it's possible that he may have hardened his stance since then, or that he may decide to get vaccinated after all.

For someone who treats his body like the Holy Grail, even to the point of delaying his elbow operation despite the pain a couple of years ago, Djokovic clearly puts health and bodily integrity above other considerations. He might consider it and actually do it (just like he did with that elbow operation), or he might decide that vaccination would be a lesser evil than being forced to eat maggot-ridden food with gluten, to which he has a longstanding allergy, in an Australian Detention facility. We'll find out.

Most rational people wouldn't choose to put something into their bodies for purely administrative reasons – people who get vaccinated should do it for their health. However, the risk/benefit profile isn't the same for everybody and one shoe doesn't fit all. We're all aware that COVID-19 affects people in different ways, some die, people with co-morbidities are more likely to get a severe form of the disease and be hospitalised, most will get through the illness at home and recover, and a sizeable number will have no symptoms at all. It shouldn't be any stretch of the imagination that vaccines too have different effects on different people. These risk/benefit calculations and decisions should be made by the individual in discussion with their doctors. Don't you think? Coercion and mandatory vaccination should never be practiced in a decent society, especially where different countries have completely different rules and make available completely different sets of vaccines to their populations. ALL vaccines which currently exist should be acceptable (i.e. permitted) in each and every country. It would be impractical for governments to make all vaccines available to everybody free of charge, granted – but to forbid people to choose a vaccine for themselves which best fits their medical profile and environment, is downright immoral. Take NHS for example – treatments, vaccinations and medications in UK are largely provided free or at low, standard cost, but access to private medicine is certainly not forbidden, in fact it is encouraged.

Djokovic will make up his own mind regarding whether he gets vaccinated or not.

Unlike you, I'm of the opinion that his vaccination status is a private matter. He's not obliged to make that information public. Yes, he does need to provide vaccination status to the authorities, when required, e.g. as he did for the Australian medical exemptions and visa application, but these bodies are also obliged to keep that information confidential.

Unlike you, I think that he cannot, nor should he attempt to, pressurise adult members of his family to get vaccinated, or not to get vaccinated. What his wife, parents, brothers and uncles choose to do is a matter for them. As for his children, that is a matter for him and his wife.

Up to now, it hasn't been essential for Djokovic to get vaccinated. As we have all seen, even Australia's rules had two routes into the country – fully vaccinated with one of a few vaccines recognised by the Australian Government + 14 days, or – exemption on medical grounds. If it becomes essential, he will certainly consider his options, as he said way back in 2020.

I take it that you're aware that vaccination doesn't prevent infection or transmission of the disease, although it does reduce the severity of the disease in the vaccinated person. These facts should be obvious in all highly vaccinated countries, where the intection and transmission is going through the roof. Tests for SARS-CoV-2 do far more to reduce transmission. If you don't accept this, I suggest you're getting your information from poorly informed sources – try reading published literature on the topic.

Your jibes against Djokovic (quote you "dig a hole in the Serb hillside, grow a long beard and sell quack cures for Covid, cancer, whatever.") are beneath you. I recall you made less extreme, more thoughtful comments 6 or 7 years ago.

Incidentally, US does have a medical contraindication in place for those who had COVID-19 in the past 90 days, as well as recognising a range of other medical exemptions, e.g. "exceptions for children, certain COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial participants, those with rare medical contraindications to the vaccines, those who need to travel for emergency or humanitarian reasons, those who are traveling on non-tourist visas from countries with low-vaccine availability, members of the armed forces and their immediate families, airline crew, ship crew, and diplomats.". I got these off am official US website just now. They could change in the future. Lots of things could change in the future.

January 14th, 2022 at 11:30 am

@lylenubbins. Please provide one study which proves what you said. And please don’t give me some quotes or some youtube videos.

But i have a feeling you will either dodge my question or worse, go on a tangent that has nothing to do with what I asked.

I really hope I am wrong about you. But i am not holding my breath

January 14th, 2022 at 11:47 am

I have missed your analysis and dialogues on this site, Tennispompom.

I did preface my remarks with “I don’t think Novak is ready to quit tennis” – and become a long-bearded unvaccinated Serb mystic in a cave.
But as you know, Novak’s gone off the deep end before with Pepe Le Peuuw. Gotten in other messes a person with more commonsense would avoid. “I’ll just take this Bollywood actress out for the night with 6 photogs trailing us. The wife will never know, be humiliated and go into full witch mode ….”

So I worry. I would hate to see him throw away his last few years that should be a victory lap like the one Federer is now enjoying – becoming instead an anti-vaxxer crank stuck at home while the ATP Tour goes on, sniffing bleach and with an emergency packet of dog dewormer to eat if he gets Covid again..

January 14th, 2022 at 1:24 pm

I did want to mention as well that celebs are paid not just on performance, but on image, having good optics. So it is no longer “purely a matter of personal choice” when he is under contract to others where he guarantees that in return for lots of their money, he won’t embarrass them.
And Djokovic has a whole IMG team that he pays to look out for him and remind him he doesn’t get to Choooooooooooooose in many areas without taking a financial hit, even lost sponsorships.

January 14th, 2022 at 1:39 pm

CF1,

I am fed up with sportsmen, which are trying to build a fake image only in order to get more sponsors. Nole does not anything wrog, if he does not take the vaccine.

I find it a violation of my freedom, that every person, who is checking my vax pass, can see my name on QR code.

January 14th, 2022 at 4:02 pm

And Nole has enough money, if he’s not in the mood to be Pfizer’s prostitute, i tis really his choice.

January 14th, 2022 at 4:03 pm

The actual problem lay with Tennis Australia and their desperation in trying to get Novak into Australia.

Here are key dates from the ABC news website (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-15/australian-open-rafael-nadal-frustrated-by-novak-djokovic-saga/100758780)

Key dates in the Djokovic saga
-On November 18, Djokovic is granted a temporary activity (subclass 408) visa. Temporary activity visas enable people to work in Australia on a short-term basis, and subclass 408 covers sporting activities.
-On November 29, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt writes to Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley, saying players wishing to enter Australia quarantine-free must be fully vaccinated and cannot count a previous infection as a reason for exemption.
-On December 16, Djokovic undertakes both PCR and rapid antigen COVID tests, according to a statement put out by the tennis star.
-On December 17, Djokovic participates in events having not yet received a positive COVID test result.
-On December 18, Djokovic takes part in a media interview despite having received a positive result on the PCR test.
-On December 30, Djokovic receives a letter from the Chief Medical Officer of Tennis Australia stating he has been granted a “medical exemption from COVID vaccination” on the grounds that he had recently recovered from COVID-19.

Why on earth did the Chief Medical Officer of Tennis Australia grant novak the exemption after Tennis Australia received the letter on November 29 “saying players wishing to enter Australia quarantine-free must be fully vaccinated and cannot count a previous infection as a reason for exemption.”.

If Tennis Australia never granted the Exemption Nova would never have been granted a Visa in the first place and everything would have been a non-issue and Novak wouldn’t have tried to get into Australia.

It’s probable that too many $$$ were on the table and Tennis Australia were desperate to get him into the Australian Open no matter what.

Media coverage has given Tennis Australia a free pass in the whole fiasco and continued to blame the Federal Government in Australia when most of the blame actually resides with Tennis Australia who granted the “faulty” Exemption to Novak in the first place. This faulty “exemption” has created a cascade effort of great proportions with the blame passing onto Novak and the Federal Australian government.

January 15th, 2022 at 9:30 am

Novak is right. Australia is wrong. Period.

February 1st, 2022 at 8:05 pm

No one has the right to require anyone to inject their body with anything they do not give consent to be that a vaccine, semen, etc. And no you don’t have the right to make the consequences for refusal so bad that the person gives a forced consent. And no you don’t have the right to require bodily sacrifices like forced vaccination (mandates) for the good of the community. This is Human Rights 101. No one should struggle with these concepts especially not AMERICANS or any FREE country.

February 1st, 2022 at 8:11 pm

Well said Siddy, well said.

Unfortunately there are too many people who do not agree that your body is your own, these people are the same people who would have cheered Hitler on.

February 1st, 2022 at 8:23 pm