The Australian Open has been thrown into chaos as it emerges that the current champion Novak Djokovic may not be allowed to play and could be deported from the country due to the country’s requirements for vaccination.
According to the Daily Mail, 20-time tennis Slam winner Djokovic, who has not publicly confirmed his vaccination status, was initially told that he could take part in the tournament when he was granted a medical exemption to play.
He subsequently flew out to Australia but was not allowed through passport control and it was stated that the paperwork submitted for the exemption was incorrect and so his visa was not in order.
The situation only came to light when the champion had already left for Australia and he was detained at the airport for over eight hours. Some reports suggest that two guards watched over him and his phone was taken away, although the Australian Border Force (ABF) has strongly refuted that this happened. It is believed that he was separated from his vaccinated coaching team at the airport.
It has, however, been confirmed that the champion’s visa has been revoked and he faces deportation from the country. The plan would then be that the 20-time Slam champion will be moved to a quarantine hotel in Melbourne where he will stay until a flight back to Europe can be arranged. His lawyers are currently appealing the decision.
The incident seems to be spiralling however, as the president of the champion’s home country of Serbia has given his support to the tennis star. President Aleksander Vucic released a statement saying:
“Just off the phone with Novak Djokovic. I told our Novak that the whole of Serbia is with him, and that our authorities are taking all measures to stop the harassment of the best tennis player in the world in the shortest possible period.”
He continued:
‘In accordance with all the norms of international public law, Serbia will fight for Novak Djokovic, for justice and truth. Otherwise, Novak is strong, as we all know him.’
Novak’s father, Srdjan, has also come out strongly in support of his son, saying:
“I have no idea what’s going on, they’re holding my son captive for five hours. This is not a fight for the libertarian world, this is not just a fight for Novak, but a fight for the whole world!”
He also suggested that protests would follow if his son was not released.
Australia’s Health Minister, Greg Hunt, said that Djokovic had not provided what he called “appropriate standards of proof” in order to allow him to enter the country and he would be sent home as a result.
Djokovic was originally granted an exemption after a review that involved two independent panels of medical experts – the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) and the Independent Medical Exemption Review Panel that has been appointed by the Department of Health in Victoria.
It appears that his exemption was granted on the grounds that he had had coronavirus during the past six months. This exemption does not appear to satisfy the federal government that controls the international border.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has insisted that the champion will receive no special treatment. He later thanked the ABF for their work and said that it was the responsibility of every traveller to make sure they had the correct visa to enter the country.
Djokovic himself has said that he is not happy about the idea of being “forced” to take a vaccine, telling fans in a live Facebook chat in April:
“I wouldn’t want to be forced by someone to take a vaccine in order to be able to travel.”
The situation must be resolved immediately if the champion is to take part in the tournament and it is particularly vital this year as a victory by Djokovic would mean he would surpass Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to become the greatest men’s player in tennis history, with 21 Grand Slam titles to his name.
The final point in this ongoing battle has not yet been won but one thing is for sure – as the reigning champion, Djokovic’s participation in the tournament is eagerly awaited by his thousands of fans and they will support every effort that is made to enable the superstar defend his hard-won title.
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