🎾 is this a Djok?
What happens when one stubborn player clashes with a nation's government.
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The Big Story
Should the COVID-19 protocols be exempt for one tenacious person who wants to keep his winning streak intact?
That's a question that Australia, and the world at large, is curious to learn more about after a judge released Novak Djokovic from detention. Now, the Australian government is weighing on whether to detain the world mens’ No. 1 tennis player for the second time.
But wait, how did we even get here?
Well, it all started back in November, when Tennis Australia announced a series of events, one of which was the Australian Open scheduled to run from January 17 to January 30. The event’s guidelines stated that all players must be vaccinated to participate in the tournament or receive a medical exemption from an independent panel of medical experts. So as soon as the dates were announced, players rushed to apply for a medical exemption from the COVID-19 vaccination mandate, including Djokovic—who has consistently expressed his concerns over vaccines.
On January 4, Djokovic revealed on Twitter that the exemption came through, and announced his imminent departure for Australia. The decision received a mixed reaction from the Tennis community, with some sharing their skepticism while others dubbed the decision as inspirational. Even politicians weighed in, and there were few who suggested that the government could revoke his exemption.
And that's exactly what happened.
When Djokovic arrived at Melbourne airport, he was detained by the federal authorities after the Australian government decided to revoke his entry visa. They didn't even grant him an opportunity or enough time to talk to his lawyers and tournament organizers to sort this out. So he decided to appeal against the decision. And he won.
(Amidst all these court proceedings, his fans decided to protest around Park Hotel, aka "alternative detention place" where Djokovic was detained and called for his release, all while nearly 30 other unvaccinated refugees wondered if they'll ever get a chance to leave.)
Fast forward to the day before, when Judge Anthony Kelly ordered Djokovic's release from detention and reinstated his visa. During the hearing, Djokovic's lawyer Nick Wood told the court that the 34-year-old tennis star was granted an exemption by two medical boards after his recent coronavirus infection, adding that he had furnished all required medical evidence to authorities. The judge agreed with Wood's argument, adding that the border authorities did not give Djokovic sufficient time to respond to the notification to cancel his visa.
But this chaotic saga isn't quite done yet.
While Djokovic has resumed his training at Rod Laver Arena today, his visa can still be cancelled if Immigration Minister Alex Hawke were to exercise his power. Not just that, failure to comply with the mandate could get him a three-year ban from the country. Then there's also some speculation that Djokovic got special treatment from tournament authorities after a leaked letter revealed that he applied for medical exemption six days after he tested positive for coronavirus. So yeah, the entire thing is just..
Whether Djokovic plays or not is still a matter of bureaucratic contention, the Association of Tennis Professionals says the situation emphasizes the need for “clearer understanding, communication and application of the rules” on vaccine requirements for travel.
Despite higher vaccination rates, strict border control, and severe lockdown measures, Australia's COVID-19 infections have surpassed 1 million—more than half being in the past week alone. Given such massive proliferation in cases, it's going to be interesting to see how the Australian government deals with this situation, and the precedence it will set for other events throughout the year.
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