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Novak Djokovic's Visa Cancelled by Australian Minister for Immigration

106 points by mkurz 5y ago

tim333 5y ago
The Australian newsreaders leaving their mics on during the break while saying what they thought of Djokovic was funny. I imagine it sums up the attitude of most Australians ("lying, sneaky a**hole" https://inews.co.uk/news/world/australian-news-presenters-novak-djokovic-off-air-video-7news-melbourne-1396149 https://inews.co.uk/news/world/australian-news-presenters-no...) While I think the rules not allowing unvaccinated people in are excessive at a time when there's no shortage of covid in Australia, rules are rules.
Sporktacular 5y ago
Good summary of some deeper concerns: https://www.smh.com.au/national/right-and-left-unite-over-djokovic-and-why-they-are-both-wrong-20220116-p59ojr.html https://www.smh.com.au/national/right-and-left-unite-over-dj... There's been no winners in any of this. If he wasn't granted a visa in the first place there might have been.
JumpCrisscross 5y ago
Did the question around potentially doctored documents ever reach a conclusion?
- relyks 5y ago
  Djokovic admitted in a statement on his Instagram page that there was a mistake in his travel documents: https://www.instagram.com/p/CYnO7cDqbdj/ https://www.instagram.com/p/CYnO7cDqbdj/ I don't think his statement puts him in the best light. He also admitted that he publicly took an interview when Djokovic knew that he was positive for COVID without giving a heads up to the interviewer. Although it was brief, he also removed his mask. I'm a fan of Djokovic, but that demonstrates either he is reckless or has a poor understanding of how dangerous COVID can be to individuals who aren't elite athletes like himself.
  - Narretz 5y ago
    He did however not address the issue that his positive PCR test was probably falsified. https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/does-not-match-djokovic-facing-fresh-questions-over-positive-test-results-20220112-p59nnf.html https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/does-not-match-dj...
    - s9w 5y ago
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]
    - relyks 5y ago
      I haven't seen this. Thanks
    - roca 5y ago
      I wonder how his supporters deal with the fact that, if his test wasn't falsified, then Djokovic's plan for getting into Australia was apparently to catch COVID almost exactly when he claims he did. I.e., at some point Tennis Australia told Djokovic's team that he would/might get an exemption if he'd had COVID recently. In early December Djokovic hadn't had COVID recently and didn't qualify for any kind of exemption. It is very fortunate for him that he then caught COVID, and in time to recover before the event. In early December Djokovic must have been expecting to NOT compete in the Australian Open, right?
      - grujicd 5y ago
        My guess is he expected non-medical sponsored visa as a person of special interest to Australia. And as a 9 time winner, he had every right to at least hope for such case. If political circumstances in Australia were different, and/or if he was less vocal, he just might got it.
        roca 5y ago
ls15 5y ago
RIP Australian Open. It left a bitter taste when it died.
- type0 5y ago
  It's not dead yet and to fit the times I'd suggest renaming it to Australian Closed
  - senectus1 5y ago
    ha!
  - ls15 5y ago
    It will not be known as the tournament where the best player wins, but as the tournament where the best vaccinated player wins, because the best player was not allowed to participate. It's not a top league tournament anymore, when you don't have all the best player, but only those that are allowed by government criteria.
    - forty 5y ago
      I'm pretty sure they are many criterias that would prevent a top player from participating. It's the best player who is not injured, has not taken any drug, is not sick, accepts all the rules of the ATP, including all the anti doping procedures all year long which are pretty invasive, who can get a visa to come to the tournament, etc etc.
      - ls15 5y ago
        Yes, but this one had no good basis. He is in the highest risk group for myocarditis and he already had Covid in June. Omicron is dominant now. Vaccine efficacy against it is low. What is the actual reason to mandate that he must be vaccinated?
    - tigershark 5y ago
      Ah ok, so is he was discovered taking performance enhancing drugs you would complain in the same way saying that it’s unacceptable that only the best non-doped player can win. Your logic is completely flawed. If there are rules and he breaks then they have ALL the reasons to ban him.
wombatmobile 5y ago
David Crowe writes in The Age https://archive.ph/Ohx6d https://archive.ph/Ohx6d The political cost of letting Djokovic stay was too high for Morrison Australians have been barred from visiting a dying parent in hospital, blocked from seeing a new grandchild and forbidden from having a wedding. Should they accept that a tennis star gets the leeway they were denied? Angering those Australians would have been a huge danger for Morrison when he is only a few months away from an election. But this is not game, set and match. The entire saga has put Australia’s pandemic dysfunction up in lights. It was a national embarrassment and may continue through the courts.
- m1sta_ 5y ago
  Responding to your rhetorical... Yes. Covid is rampant at this point. An aggressive testing path and allowing him to play would absolutely be in the public's best interest. It's clowns on both sides here but the risk of letting him in is definitely not high enough to balance the public benefit of him being allowed to play. Once he plays the special public benefit ends and so should his visa.
  - avs733 5y ago
    He falsified information he submitted to immigration authorities. That’s the match (to use a pun)
    - DonHopkins 5y ago
      But he did it for Love!
      - avs733 5y ago
        groan...the humor on HN is going to really start changing as more of us become parents isn't it :)
  - maccard 5y ago
    The issue imo isn't the covid-ness, it's lying on the immigration forms. If I did that, I would be barred from entering the country ever again.
kreeben 5y ago
Now the path to the finals has cleared right up for Michael Ymer. Go Sweden!
- ls15 5y ago
  Who is going to respect such a vicory when the current champion has been blocked from participating?
  - linspace 5y ago
    Anyone who thinks Djokovic is at fault. I don't support executive power bypassing courts but I think this doesn't diminish the merit of the winner. He was more intelligent.
    - ls15 5y ago
      Mandating that players who are in the highest risk group for myocarditis must be vaccinated had no good basis to begin with
      - Pungsnigel 5y ago
        He just had Covid as well? So most likely he is better protected than vaccinated people.
      - linspace 5y ago
        I have no idea, I'm no doctor. I find it surprising that a doctor would advise him to play at a competitive level nevertheless if he has some cardiac problem but who knows. Anyway I want to say that as a matter of fact if a court allows him to enter and play he should be allowed. Not interfering with court decisions is much more important than whether or not a player plays tennis, I don't care if it's an important player on an important tournament, because for me it's not important. I think also he should not enter if he is not vaccinated but for me the "why" is much more important than the "what". We always ask politicians "what" are they going to do, not "why" and "how" and so we keep rewarding luck. So the thing is not if politicians did this or that when the pandemic started, the question is if they were motivated by political interest or followed doctors advice. In this case politicians should follow courts decisions.
throwaway4good 5y ago
Completely absurd behavior from the Australian authorities. They knew he wasn’t vaccinated from the get go, yet gave him an exemption which they later withdrew after he entered the country. No way to treat anyone, international tennis star or not.
- kzrdude 5y ago
  He wasn't given an exemption at all though? He was denied entry and then appealed. Are you thinking of the exemption he was given by the tennis tournament, to play? It would be understandable if that one doesn't work to pass the border.
  - vore 5y ago
    The Victorian government did in fact grant Djokovic an exemption: https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2022/1/11/explainer-why-australia-faces-a-tough-call-on-djokovic https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2022/1/11/explainer-why-aus... Medical panels established by Tennis Australia and the Victoria government granted Djokovic exemption from vaccination to play at the Australian Open on that basis. Djokovic’s lawyers argued that he had every reason to believe the same standard applied at the border. However, the federal government did not and now there's a lot of finger pointing – the Victorian government then also backtracked on it by refusing to file another exemption for Djokovic: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/05/novak-djokovics-vaccine-exemption-entry-into-australia-delayed-.html https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/05/novak-djokovics-vaccine-exem... The Serbian arrived in Melbourne on Wednesday evening local time, but faced trouble at the border, with Acting Sports Minister Jaala Pulford confirming that the state government was not supporting his visa application to compete in the Australian Open. She tweeted: “The Federal Government has asked if we will support Novak Djokovic’s visa application to enter Australia. “We will not be providing Novak Djokovic with individual visa application support to participate in the 2022 Australian Open Grand Slam. “We’ve always been clear on two points: visa approvals are a matter for the Federal Government, and medical exemptions are a matter for doctors.” This is a particularly mind-boggling piece of grandstanding, given that the Victoria government had literally approved an exemption for him before. To make my position clear, I'm not at all a fan of what Djokovic is trying to pull and I think the guy should go and get vaccinated already, but this is a hot mess of the Australian governments trying to attempt some kind of face-saving measure.
network2592 5y ago
Will Novak Djokovic face the same consequences when playing other tournaments of the grand slam in the USA, UK, and France? Presumably, he is not a citizen of any of these countries. So he does not have right of entry.
- forty 5y ago
  From what I heard in the news here in France, he should be fine for playing in France where so far sportsmen don't have to be vaccined, and it is not required either for a Visa.
  - network2592 5y ago
    Do you not need to prove vaccination to enter France if you are not a French or EU citizen? Or is the exception only for athletes? Even if a visa is granted, authorities can revoke it at any time as highlighted in Australia.
    - Mikeb85 5y ago
      I entered France from Canada a month ago. They didn't check any documents other than my passport (pretty sure they didn't check it either, just flipped to an empty page and stamped it). Vaccination wasn't required. Negative PCR test wasn't required. The only requirement was a declaration that I didn't knowingly have COVID or any symptoms (which they never checked).
      - sofixa 5y ago
        That varies depending on where you're coming from and where have you been recently (and it changes based on how the situation evolves per country). I'm triple vaccinated and i still need a negative PCR to return to France from abroad. It's entirely possible a negative PCR will be required for him. Edit: i checked, and Serbia is in the "orange" zone for France, for which a negative PCR is required regardless of vaccination status: https://rs.ambafrance.org/COVID-19-dernieres-informations-et-FAQ https://rs.ambafrance.org/COVID-19-dernieres-informations-et... https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/conseils-aux-voyageurs/informations-pratiques/article/coronavirus-covid-19 https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/conseils-aux-voyageurs/inf...
Bancakes 5y ago
Saying "public interest" without a referendum or any representation from the public, is such an abuse of power. Go settle your revenge fantasies in your personal time.
- nhinck 5y ago
  It's pretty strange to say an elected official isn't representing the public or that this didn't have popular support.
  - Bancakes 5y ago
    You elect a person with all his baggage. You can't selectively (dis)agree with single topics outside a referrendum. That or having another official stand up and wave his finger. In the end, asking for and monitoring public opinion is an important democratic reality check.
    - nhinck 5y ago
      I'm not entirely sure what you're trying to say but... it's the purpose of elections to gauge public opinion of government actions. https://twitter.com/BenRothenberg/status/1481535321204727809 https://twitter.com/BenRothenberg/status/1481535321204727809 On top of that taking this to a referendum would have been a waste of money and time.
- forty 5y ago
  I don't know Australia at all, but I imagine they have some kind of elected representative which have an influence on who is leading the country. As far as I understand they are doing that for election purpose, which I imagine means it's somehow a popular decision among Australian voters.
deleted 5y ago
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adamnemecek 5y ago
Novak? More like No-vac-cine.
- gattilorenz 5y ago
  These days a popular nickname for him in Italy is indeed Novax (the term we use for antivaxxers)
  - network2592 5y ago
    It would be interesting to see if he ultimately accepts 'Novax' Djokovic as a rigidly defined part of his identity. The more this drags on publicly, the less face-saving opportunities for him to accept vaccination.
BrissyCoder 5y ago
9/10 Australians think this guy is a grade-A dickhead. It would have been politically unpalatable for him to have been allowed to stay.
- guilhas 5y ago
  According to this poll is only 4/10 https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/news-local-survey-shows-novak-djokovic-welcome-stay-australia-least-50-public https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/news-local-survey-shows-n...
- input_sh 5y ago
  As someone that speaks Serbian, him and his family offer an endless source of entertainment. Like for example his father comparing the situation to Jesus' crucifixion, or Novak's regular pilgrimage to Bosnian "pyramid" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnian_pyramid_claims https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnian_pyramid_claims) for its magical healing power.
- Arisaka1 5y ago
  I'm a Serbian who used to be a fan of Djokovic in spite of the fact that I'm not big into tennis, but after losing a family member to Covid seeing him deciding to die on the anti-vax hill broke my heart and I don't want anything to do with him.
  - t0bia_s 5y ago
    By your logic... I know personaly two people dead two weeks after vax and one paralyzed on half body week after vax. Schould I consider Djokovic as hero?
    - ggrelet 5y ago
      Was all this the consequence of the vaccine or the Covid itself?
      - jokethrowaway 5y ago
akomtu 5y ago
What is Australia officially afraid of? That Novak might have covid? When most of the Australians are vaxxed or have had covid already?
- Copenjin 5y ago
  Rules exist.
  - ls15 5y ago
    Draconian ones
    - SideburnsOfDoom 5y ago
      Well maybe. There's a unprecedented pandemic on, it would be surprising if the rules were not proportionate to that.
      - ls15 5y ago
        Djokovic had Covid in June (that's still accepted, right?). He is in the highest risk group for myocarditis from the vaccination. Omicron is dominant. Vaccine efficacy against Omicron is low. What is the scientific basis for mandating that he must be vaccinated in order to participate?
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]
    - mhh__ 5y ago
      If it's true the that he lied on the form and was going around doing press stuff while positive with COVID then they're seeming pretty reasonable. You or I would get the book thrown at us in this situation.
      - rosndo 5y ago
        No, the truth is that nobody would care about you or me doing this stuff. Djokovic is facing increased scrutiny because he is famous. Nobody would think twice about what some nobody wrote on their COVID forms.
SideburnsOfDoom 5y ago
One the one hand: Australia is the wrong country entirely to try this shtick on. The "fair play" ethos is strong, the "tall poppy syndrome" (1) is evidence of Australian reflexively reacting angrily to the "don't you know who I am?" routine, to someone asking for the rules for normal people to be set aside for the rich and famous. He might have gotten away with it, but once it was in the papers and the public eye was on him, game over. Australia also takes border biosecurity _very_ seriously, even before the pandemic. Remember Johnny Depp and his dogs having to leave when they were smuggled in via private jet. (2) Remember the TV show (3) I feel little sympathy for Mr Djokovic trying to bend the rules in favour (for reasons that appear frivolous: it would be trivial for him to actually just get vaccinated) and being found out. What was he thinking? On the other hand: it does seem like various branches of the Australian government are infighting and contradicting each other. If Mr Djokovic was not good to arrive, could they not have got their act together, and told him so clearly, before he set off? It's a media-legal circus now. 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tall_poppy_syndrome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tall_poppy_syndrome 2) https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-32732313 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-32732313 3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_Security:_Australia%27s_Front_Line https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_Security:_Australia%27s...
- masklinn 5y ago
  > it does seem like various branches of the Australian government are infighting and contradicting each other. If Mr Djokovic was not good to arrive, could they not have got their act together, and told him so clearly, before he set off? It’s not an appearance, scotty from marketing wanted the states to bear the brunt of the issue, so Djokovic was “good to arrive” in Australia, which didn’t mean he was good to arrive in Vic, or that everything was ship-shape with him playing.
- dkjaudyeqooe 5y ago
  > it would be trivial for him to actually just get vaccinated That's not even required. He could have quarantine for 14 days too, but I imagine that would have been way too inconvenient for him. There didn't seem to be any reason why he couldn't of come earlier.
jmeister 5y ago
“Judges are not stupid and are fully aware of what a Friday, 5:55pm, exercise of a Minister's power means ... The Government's delay - given everything about Djokovic's case was known or knowable this time last week - will hurt its case for urgent removal & help Djokovic's claim.” https://twitter.com/GrayConnolly/status/1481885230479048705 https://twitter.com/GrayConnolly/status/1481885230479048705 https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/diplomatic-passport-could-give-djokovic-protection-from-deportation-ahead-of-looming-decision-from-immigration-minister/news-story/6fecc5e19b386dfeee82e3967caa9cc0 https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/diplomati... It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.
- dkjaudyeqooe 5y ago
  The idea that a diplomatic passport can save this guy is kind of delusional. In the event that being issued one while in Australia would actually change his status, the Australian government can expel foreign diplomats at will. It's not like Serbia has some strategic importance to them.
christmm 5y ago
dkjaudyeqooe 5y ago
Djokovic was never eligible to enter Australia. He lied about having a medical excuse to not be vaccinated. He used 'exemptions' from organisations other than the immigration authorities to muddy the waters. He was trying to blag it all along and got caught. He got lucky with a border guard making a mistake which ultimately allowed him entry, but doing anything but cancelling his visa would have been contrary to normal treatment under the law. Now he'll get an automatic 3 year ban, if not more due to the other laws he broke when he entered Australia.
- ajkdhcb2 5y ago
  The Australian authorities broke the law and mistreated him throughout the process. The court made its decision. I see the Minister using his power this way as systemic corruption that undermines the rule of law. As an Australian, I am not surprised by this; the legal system has been slowly eroded into a dystopian nightmare over the last 20 years and this is just another small step. One 'unvaxxed' entry with natural immunity is nothing as a risk to public health compared to the systemic consequences of this. For comparison, consider convicting a murderer over illegally obtained evidence. In a properly functioning liberal democracy the murderer should go free if the police act improperly, to protect the overall system.
- mickotron 5y ago
  Victorian Government gave him exemption. And prior to Novak arriving, the PM said it was "up to the states". Then he changed his mind within 24hrs.
  - dkjaudyeqooe 5y ago
    The Victorian government doesn't have the power to, they have no immigration powers, and the relevant Federal minister had actually written to Tennis Australia twice advising them that there was no basis for him to enter based on previously having caught covid.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
cycomanic 5y ago
What I thought amazing was how in the court case the judge clearly sided with ND and the case was essentially decided because the immigration officials didn't follow the correct process. I wish judges like that would have shown their spine like this when it came to the awful treatment of refugees. But it seems that immigration follows lawful processes is only important if a tennis millionaire is entering the country.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
mostertoaster 5y ago
Is omnicron worse than a common cold? Maybe the colloquial you always get a new virus with every common cold is also true of covid. If vaccinated people are spreading covid (and maybe more so since their symptoms are probably so minor), what good does banning an athlete in great health do? All it proves is this is about politics and power, not health. At this point all those who go along with this charade, insisting the emperor does indeed have clothes, are complicit in their crimes, the same way those who in the past defended the governments making the “dirty” ones sit at the back of the bus. What’s the big deal they just have to sit at the back of the bus? What’s the big deal about having to get vaccinated?
- SideburnsOfDoom 5y ago
  > Is omnicron worse than a common cold? Yes, in many cases substantially worse. > If vaccinated people are spreading covid, and maybe more so That's not accurate either.
  - mostertoaster 5y ago
    No it is accurate. Vaccinated people are spreading and getting covid. Or are the masks for vaccinated folks just show?
    - SideburnsOfDoom 5y ago
      > No it is accurate. Vaccinated people are spreading and getting covid. But not "more so". Not even equal. it is less, and to say otherwise is inaccurate.
  - JPKab 5y ago
    You've been wrong about Omicron the entire time. You were proclaiming doom weeks ago, and crapping all over many of us pointing at the South African data. We were proven correct, you were proven wrong. No sense of humility about this on your part. Just because some of us deal with fear better than others doesn't make us fools and you empathetic by comparison. "Many" is not remotely specific. It's hand-waving. "Many" people who drive cars die in car accidents. It's hand-wavy and vague, and is often an indication of cognitive dissonance to argue this way. The confidence with which these assertions are being made is unearned and unjustified.
mickotron 5y ago
As an Australian I am ashamed of our government's actions. Purely political theater to appease their domestic base. But it has backfired royally on them. I hope the polls reflect this.
relyks 5y ago
To give some other perspective, here's the text from Djokovic's statement on his Instagram page: > STATEMENT BY NOVAK DJOKOVIC 12 January 2022 I want to address the continuing misinformation about my activities and attendance at events in December in the lead up to my positive PCR COVID test result. This is misinformation which needs to be corrected, particularly in the interest of alleviating broader concern in the community about my presence in Australia, and to address matters which are very hurtful and concerning to my family. I want to emphasise that I have tried very hard to ensure the safety of everyone and my compliance with testing obligations. I attended a basketball game in Belgrade on 14 December after which it was reported that a number of people tested positive with COVID 19. Despite having no COVID symptoms, I took a rapid antigen test on 16 December which was negative, and out of an abundance of caution, also took an official and approved PCR test on that same day. The next day I attended a tennis event in Belgrade to present awards to children and took a rapid antigen test before going to the event, and it was negative. I was asymptomatic and felt good, and I had not received the notification of a positive PCR test result until after that event. The next day, on 18 December I was at my tennis centre in Belgrade to fulfil a long-standing commitment for a L’Equipe interview and photoshoot. I cancelled all other events except for the L’Equipe interview. I felt obliged to go ahead and conduct the L’Equipe interview as I didn’t want to let the journalist down, but did ensure I socially distanced and wore a mask except when my photograph was being taken. While I went home after the interview to isolate for the required period, on reflection, this was an error of judgement and I accept that I should have rescheduled this commitment. On the issue of my travel declaration, this was submitted by my support team on my behalf as I told immigration officials on my arrival - and my agent sincerely apologises for the administrative mistake in ticking the incorrect box about my previous travel before coming to Australia. This was a human error and certainly not deliberate. We are living in challenging times in a global pandemic and sometimes these mistakes can occur. Today, my team has provided additional information to the Australian Government to clarify this matter. While I felt it was important to address and clarify misinformation I will not be making any further comment out of utmost respect for the Australian Government and their authorities and the current process. It is always an honour and a privilege to play in the Australian Open. The Australian Open is much-loved by players, fans and the community, not just in Victoria and in Australia, but around the globe, and I just want to have the opportunity to compete against the best players in the world and perform before one of the best crowds in the world.[1] [1]: https://www.instagram.com/p/CYnO7cDqbdj/ https://www.instagram.com/p/CYnO7cDqbdj/
ambericanonion 5y ago
This distraction has worked marvellously. No time to cover the lack of food and tests in the supermarkets or any strategy other than sacrificing the weak for the sake of 'the economy'. Regarding immigration rules - it seems that if you're an au pair for the right family, incorrect entry forms can be fixed with a direct call to the minister.
guilhas 5y ago
Is in the public interest of Australian people for natural immunity to be recognized and this spectacle be over In comparison they are allowed to have cricket matches with hundreds of thousands of spectators packing
- bjowen 5y ago
  Those people are required to and have taken vaccine in order to attend. 95% of Australians have at this point. There are check-ins and density limits and other mandates to limit the spread, and it is still spreading at a rate faster than testing can keep up. Post infection immunity does not of itself prevent taking vaccine, and having both is the most protective, though their individual effectiveness is comparable [0]. Acknowledging post-infection immunity in place of vaccine-mediated immunity doesn’t make sense as a policy for the country: it doesn’t materially affect many people, it decrease the number of susceptible people at all, and the vaccines are free to all and easily available to most. In the case of the tennis player, if the recent tests are correctly recorded, and there is significant reason to doubt that they are[1], this is the second time he has been infected with COVID [2]. None of this is to say that the Australian federal government hasn’t embarrassed itself at every opportunity with this fiasco. The visa was issued apparently in contradiction to its own rules, the player was allowed to travel anyway and treated badly, overnight staff at the airport had to decide to overrule a departmental error and trigger this circus, breaching procedural fairness in the process - and then instead of making a prompt decision, the minister waited until the Friday night TV news had started to announce the decision to cancel, in what appears to be an effort to manage the message. Atrocious. Inept. Governing by press release to distract from their failings. 0: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC8475821/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC8475821/ 1: https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/novak-djokovic-were-the-results-of-his-positive-pcr-test-manipulated-a-cf3e7344-e98f-4fc3-8bb3-7727d4795e97 https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/novak-djokovic-we... 2: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-24/novak-djokovic-charity-tennis-tournament-became-coronavirus-mess/12387086 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-24/novak-djokovic-charit...
- Mikeb85 5y ago
  Yup. EU recognizes past infections, not sure why places like Canada and Australia refuse to. It's pretty clear it's not about science at this point. For example, in Canada some provinces have created exemptions for people who have COVID to be able to work, while firing those who are unvaccinated... Science has been completely tossed by the wayside because of politics and our vengeful population.
guilhas 5y ago
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- dang 5y ago
  Please don't take HN threads into flamewar. We want to avoid that here. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29931805 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29931805.
  - guilhas 5y ago
    Really? You leave a person opinion calling someone a dickhead. And delete the replies because they are not quite up to standards?
    - dang 5y ago
      That's not what the comment said. It was making a point about Australian public opinion. Your comment was a noticeable step into tedious, predictable flamewar. Please keep that kind of thing off HN. It's not what this site is for, and it destroys what it is for.
      - guilhas 5y ago
        According to this Australian poll only 4 in 10 have a negative view of Djokovic https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/news-local-survey-shows-novak-djokovic-welcome-stay-australia-least-50-public https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/news-local-survey-shows-n... My comment was also making the same point about the rest of the world opinion on Australian govs rules, that are affecting the player. And was clearly better backed, below, than the original comment But imagine next time there is a covid post, someone comments: "Many Americans think Fauci is a grade-A dickhead. It is politically unpalatable for him to be allowed to stay" Even if there was a point there, it could clearly have been expressed in an acceptable way. And probably will in the future again
emptyfile 5y ago
He must be a really convinced anti vaxer to die on this hill.
LatteLazy 5y ago
I don't really care if they let him in. That's up to Australia. But the various levels of government there have made a mess of this. If the federal government controls immigration, the state government and Tennis Australia should not be issuing visas and waivers. If they do issue them, you can't blame people for travelling. And I'd be pretty pissed if I had travelled to aus, and was then refused entry despite having a visa from one government because another one didn't like it!?
alkonaut 5y ago
It was bloody naive of Djoko to even think that he would be eligible for entry into Australia, Victoria, and the Tournament, all with the same muddy paperwork. Whatever assurances he got from one party (A state representative, a tournament representative) obviously doesn't carry over to the next instance. If he's allowed to play in the tournament but not enter the country, then he's out of luck. Same thing if he's allowed to enter the country but not the state or the tournament.
fmajid 5y ago
He should consider himself lucky he wasn’t jailed for forging a positive PCR test before being deported.
- grujicd 5y ago
  I’m not saying it was faked or not, but that was not prooven at all and nobody officially makes that accusation.
anotherevan 5y ago
On a slightly lighter note, this rather frank exchange by a couple of Australian TV newsreaders "off-air" during the ad break was leaked and created some local amusement and outrage. Something along the lines of, "They're just saying what we are all thinking," was a common sentiment. https://nitter.actionsack.com/MelbTigerTalk/status/1480851968893468674 https://nitter.actionsack.com/MelbTigerTalk/status/148085196...
grujicd 5y ago
There’s a live stream of legal appeal to this decission: https://youtu.be/t_-BcBnNeLA https://youtu.be/t_-BcBnNeLA

106 points by mkurz 5y ago

The Australian newsreaders leaving their mics on during the break while saying what they thought of Djokovic was funny. I imagine it sums up the attitude of most Australians ("lying, sneaky a**hole" https://inews.co.uk/news/world/australian-news-presenters-novak-djokovic-off-air-video-7news-melbourne-1396149 https://inews.co.uk/news/world/australian-news-presenters-no...) While I think the rules not allowing unvaccinated people in are excessive at a time when there's no shortage of covid in Australia, rules are rules.

Sporktacular 5y ago

Good summary of some deeper concerns: https://www.smh.com.au/national/right-and-left-unite-over-djokovic-and-why-they-are-both-wrong-20220116-p59ojr.html https://www.smh.com.au/national/right-and-left-unite-over-dj... There's been no winners in any of this. If he wasn't granted a visa in the first place there might have been.

JumpCrisscross 5y ago

Did the question around potentially doctored documents ever reach a conclusion?

relyks 5y ago
Djokovic admitted in a statement on his Instagram page that there was a mistake in his travel documents: https://www.instagram.com/p/CYnO7cDqbdj/ https://www.instagram.com/p/CYnO7cDqbdj/ I don't think his statement puts him in the best light. He also admitted that he publicly took an interview when Djokovic knew that he was positive for COVID without giving a heads up to the interviewer. Although it was brief, he also removed his mask. I'm a fan of Djokovic, but that demonstrates either he is reckless or has a poor understanding of how dangerous COVID can be to individuals who aren't elite athletes like himself.
- Narretz 5y ago
  He did however not address the issue that his positive PCR test was probably falsified. https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/does-not-match-djokovic-facing-fresh-questions-over-positive-test-results-20220112-p59nnf.html https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/does-not-match-dj...
  - s9w 5y ago
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - relyks 5y ago
    I haven't seen this. Thanks
  - roca 5y ago
    I wonder how his supporters deal with the fact that, if his test wasn't falsified, then Djokovic's plan for getting into Australia was apparently to catch COVID almost exactly when he claims he did. I.e., at some point Tennis Australia told Djokovic's team that he would/might get an exemption if he'd had COVID recently. In early December Djokovic hadn't had COVID recently and didn't qualify for any kind of exemption. It is very fortunate for him that he then caught COVID, and in time to recover before the event. In early December Djokovic must have been expecting to NOT compete in the Australian Open, right?
    - grujicd 5y ago
      My guess is he expected non-medical sponsored visa as a person of special interest to Australia. And as a 9 time winner, he had every right to at least hope for such case. If political circumstances in Australia were different, and/or if he was less vocal, he just might got it.
      - roca 5y ago

ls15 5y ago

RIP Australian Open. It left a bitter taste when it died.

type0 5y ago
It's not dead yet and to fit the times I'd suggest renaming it to Australian Closed
- senectus1 5y ago
  ha!
- ls15 5y ago
  It will not be known as the tournament where the best player wins, but as the tournament where the best vaccinated player wins, because the best player was not allowed to participate. It's not a top league tournament anymore, when you don't have all the best player, but only those that are allowed by government criteria.
  - forty 5y ago
    I'm pretty sure they are many criterias that would prevent a top player from participating. It's the best player who is not injured, has not taken any drug, is not sick, accepts all the rules of the ATP, including all the anti doping procedures all year long which are pretty invasive, who can get a visa to come to the tournament, etc etc.
    - ls15 5y ago
      Yes, but this one had no good basis. He is in the highest risk group for myocarditis and he already had Covid in June. Omicron is dominant now. Vaccine efficacy against it is low. What is the actual reason to mandate that he must be vaccinated?
  - tigershark 5y ago
    Ah ok, so is he was discovered taking performance enhancing drugs you would complain in the same way saying that it’s unacceptable that only the best non-doped player can win. Your logic is completely flawed. If there are rules and he breaks then they have ALL the reasons to ban him.

wombatmobile 5y ago

David Crowe writes in The Age https://archive.ph/Ohx6d https://archive.ph/Ohx6d The political cost of letting Djokovic stay was too high for Morrison Australians have been barred from visiting a dying parent in hospital, blocked from seeing a new grandchild and forbidden from having a wedding. Should they accept that a tennis star gets the leeway they were denied? Angering those Australians would have been a huge danger for Morrison when he is only a few months away from an election. But this is not game, set and match. The entire saga has put Australia’s pandemic dysfunction up in lights. It was a national embarrassment and may continue through the courts.

m1sta_ 5y ago
Responding to your rhetorical... Yes. Covid is rampant at this point. An aggressive testing path and allowing him to play would absolutely be in the public's best interest. It's clowns on both sides here but the risk of letting him in is definitely not high enough to balance the public benefit of him being allowed to play. Once he plays the special public benefit ends and so should his visa.
- avs733 5y ago
  He falsified information he submitted to immigration authorities. That’s the match (to use a pun)
  - DonHopkins 5y ago
    But he did it for Love!
    - avs733 5y ago
      groan...the humor on HN is going to really start changing as more of us become parents isn't it :)
- maccard 5y ago
  The issue imo isn't the covid-ness, it's lying on the immigration forms. If I did that, I would be barred from entering the country ever again.

kreeben 5y ago

Now the path to the finals has cleared right up for Michael Ymer. Go Sweden!

ls15 5y ago
Who is going to respect such a vicory when the current champion has been blocked from participating?
- linspace 5y ago
  Anyone who thinks Djokovic is at fault. I don't support executive power bypassing courts but I think this doesn't diminish the merit of the winner. He was more intelligent.
  - ls15 5y ago
    Mandating that players who are in the highest risk group for myocarditis must be vaccinated had no good basis to begin with
    - Pungsnigel 5y ago
      He just had Covid as well? So most likely he is better protected than vaccinated people.
    - linspace 5y ago
      I have no idea, I'm no doctor. I find it surprising that a doctor would advise him to play at a competitive level nevertheless if he has some cardiac problem but who knows. Anyway I want to say that as a matter of fact if a court allows him to enter and play he should be allowed. Not interfering with court decisions is much more important than whether or not a player plays tennis, I don't care if it's an important player on an important tournament, because for me it's not important. I think also he should not enter if he is not vaccinated but for me the "why" is much more important than the "what". We always ask politicians "what" are they going to do, not "why" and "how" and so we keep rewarding luck. So the thing is not if politicians did this or that when the pandemic started, the question is if they were motivated by political interest or followed doctors advice. In this case politicians should follow courts decisions.

throwaway4good 5y ago

Completely absurd behavior from the Australian authorities. They knew he wasn’t vaccinated from the get go, yet gave him an exemption which they later withdrew after he entered the country. No way to treat anyone, international tennis star or not.

kzrdude 5y ago
He wasn't given an exemption at all though? He was denied entry and then appealed. Are you thinking of the exemption he was given by the tennis tournament, to play? It would be understandable if that one doesn't work to pass the border.
- vore 5y ago
  The Victorian government did in fact grant Djokovic an exemption: https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2022/1/11/explainer-why-australia-faces-a-tough-call-on-djokovic https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2022/1/11/explainer-why-aus... Medical panels established by Tennis Australia and the Victoria government granted Djokovic exemption from vaccination to play at the Australian Open on that basis. Djokovic’s lawyers argued that he had every reason to believe the same standard applied at the border. However, the federal government did not and now there's a lot of finger pointing – the Victorian government then also backtracked on it by refusing to file another exemption for Djokovic: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/05/novak-djokovics-vaccine-exemption-entry-into-australia-delayed-.html https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/05/novak-djokovics-vaccine-exem... The Serbian arrived in Melbourne on Wednesday evening local time, but faced trouble at the border, with Acting Sports Minister Jaala Pulford confirming that the state government was not supporting his visa application to compete in the Australian Open. She tweeted: “The Federal Government has asked if we will support Novak Djokovic’s visa application to enter Australia. “We will not be providing Novak Djokovic with individual visa application support to participate in the 2022 Australian Open Grand Slam. “We’ve always been clear on two points: visa approvals are a matter for the Federal Government, and medical exemptions are a matter for doctors.” This is a particularly mind-boggling piece of grandstanding, given that the Victoria government had literally approved an exemption for him before. To make my position clear, I'm not at all a fan of what Djokovic is trying to pull and I think the guy should go and get vaccinated already, but this is a hot mess of the Australian governments trying to attempt some kind of face-saving measure.

network2592 5y ago

Will Novak Djokovic face the same consequences when playing other tournaments of the grand slam in the USA, UK, and France? Presumably, he is not a citizen of any of these countries. So he does not have right of entry.

forty 5y ago
From what I heard in the news here in France, he should be fine for playing in France where so far sportsmen don't have to be vaccined, and it is not required either for a Visa.
- network2592 5y ago
  Do you not need to prove vaccination to enter France if you are not a French or EU citizen? Or is the exception only for athletes? Even if a visa is granted, authorities can revoke it at any time as highlighted in Australia.
  - Mikeb85 5y ago
    I entered France from Canada a month ago. They didn't check any documents other than my passport (pretty sure they didn't check it either, just flipped to an empty page and stamped it). Vaccination wasn't required. Negative PCR test wasn't required. The only requirement was a declaration that I didn't knowingly have COVID or any symptoms (which they never checked).
    - sofixa 5y ago
      That varies depending on where you're coming from and where have you been recently (and it changes based on how the situation evolves per country). I'm triple vaccinated and i still need a negative PCR to return to France from abroad. It's entirely possible a negative PCR will be required for him. Edit: i checked, and Serbia is in the "orange" zone for France, for which a negative PCR is required regardless of vaccination status: https://rs.ambafrance.org/COVID-19-dernieres-informations-et-FAQ https://rs.ambafrance.org/COVID-19-dernieres-informations-et... https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/conseils-aux-voyageurs/informations-pratiques/article/coronavirus-covid-19 https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/conseils-aux-voyageurs/inf...

Bancakes 5y ago

Saying "public interest" without a referendum or any representation from the public, is such an abuse of power. Go settle your revenge fantasies in your personal time.

nhinck 5y ago
It's pretty strange to say an elected official isn't representing the public or that this didn't have popular support.
- Bancakes 5y ago
  You elect a person with all his baggage. You can't selectively (dis)agree with single topics outside a referrendum. That or having another official stand up and wave his finger. In the end, asking for and monitoring public opinion is an important democratic reality check.
  - nhinck 5y ago
    I'm not entirely sure what you're trying to say but... it's the purpose of elections to gauge public opinion of government actions. https://twitter.com/BenRothenberg/status/1481535321204727809 https://twitter.com/BenRothenberg/status/1481535321204727809 On top of that taking this to a referendum would have been a waste of money and time.
forty 5y ago
I don't know Australia at all, but I imagine they have some kind of elected representative which have an influence on who is leading the country. As far as I understand they are doing that for election purpose, which I imagine means it's somehow a popular decision among Australian voters.

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adamnemecek 5y ago

Novak? More like No-vac-cine.

gattilorenz 5y ago
These days a popular nickname for him in Italy is indeed Novax (the term we use for antivaxxers)
- network2592 5y ago
  It would be interesting to see if he ultimately accepts 'Novax' Djokovic as a rigidly defined part of his identity. The more this drags on publicly, the less face-saving opportunities for him to accept vaccination.

BrissyCoder 5y ago

9/10 Australians think this guy is a grade-A dickhead. It would have been politically unpalatable for him to have been allowed to stay.

guilhas 5y ago
According to this poll is only 4/10 https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/news-local-survey-shows-novak-djokovic-welcome-stay-australia-least-50-public https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/news-local-survey-shows-n...
input_sh 5y ago
As someone that speaks Serbian, him and his family offer an endless source of entertainment. Like for example his father comparing the situation to Jesus' crucifixion, or Novak's regular pilgrimage to Bosnian "pyramid" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnian_pyramid_claims https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnian_pyramid_claims) for its magical healing power.
Arisaka1 5y ago
I'm a Serbian who used to be a fan of Djokovic in spite of the fact that I'm not big into tennis, but after losing a family member to Covid seeing him deciding to die on the anti-vax hill broke my heart and I don't want anything to do with him.
- t0bia_s 5y ago
  By your logic... I know personaly two people dead two weeks after vax and one paralyzed on half body week after vax. Schould I consider Djokovic as hero?
  - ggrelet 5y ago
    Was all this the consequence of the vaccine or the Covid itself?
    - jokethrowaway 5y ago

akomtu 5y ago

What is Australia officially afraid of? That Novak might have covid? When most of the Australians are vaxxed or have had covid already?

Copenjin 5y ago
Rules exist.
- ls15 5y ago
  Draconian ones
  - SideburnsOfDoom 5y ago
    Well maybe. There's a unprecedented pandemic on, it would be surprising if the rules were not proportionate to that.
    - ls15 5y ago
      Djokovic had Covid in June (that's still accepted, right?). He is in the highest risk group for myocarditis from the vaccination. Omicron is dominant. Vaccine efficacy against Omicron is low. What is the scientific basis for mandating that he must be vaccinated in order to participate?
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - mhh__ 5y ago
    If it's true the that he lied on the form and was going around doing press stuff while positive with COVID then they're seeming pretty reasonable. You or I would get the book thrown at us in this situation.
    - rosndo 5y ago
      No, the truth is that nobody would care about you or me doing this stuff. Djokovic is facing increased scrutiny because he is famous. Nobody would think twice about what some nobody wrote on their COVID forms.

SideburnsOfDoom 5y ago

One the one hand: Australia is the wrong country entirely to try this shtick on. The "fair play" ethos is strong, the "tall poppy syndrome" (1) is evidence of Australian reflexively reacting angrily to the "don't you know who I am?" routine, to someone asking for the rules for normal people to be set aside for the rich and famous. He might have gotten away with it, but once it was in the papers and the public eye was on him, game over. Australia also takes border biosecurity _very_ seriously, even before the pandemic. Remember Johnny Depp and his dogs having to leave when they were smuggled in via private jet. (2) Remember the TV show (3) I feel little sympathy for Mr Djokovic trying to bend the rules in favour (for reasons that appear frivolous: it would be trivial for him to actually just get vaccinated) and being found out. What was he thinking? On the other hand: it does seem like various branches of the Australian government are infighting and contradicting each other. If Mr Djokovic was not good to arrive, could they not have got their act together, and told him so clearly, before he set off? It's a media-legal circus now. 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tall_poppy_syndrome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tall_poppy_syndrome 2) https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-32732313 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-32732313 3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_Security:_Australia%27s_Front_Line https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_Security:_Australia%27s...

masklinn 5y ago
> it does seem like various branches of the Australian government are infighting and contradicting each other. If Mr Djokovic was not good to arrive, could they not have got their act together, and told him so clearly, before he set off? It’s not an appearance, scotty from marketing wanted the states to bear the brunt of the issue, so Djokovic was “good to arrive” in Australia, which didn’t mean he was good to arrive in Vic, or that everything was ship-shape with him playing.
dkjaudyeqooe 5y ago
> it would be trivial for him to actually just get vaccinated That's not even required. He could have quarantine for 14 days too, but I imagine that would have been way too inconvenient for him. There didn't seem to be any reason why he couldn't of come earlier.

jmeister 5y ago

“Judges are not stupid and are fully aware of what a Friday, 5:55pm, exercise of a Minister's power means ... The Government's delay - given everything about Djokovic's case was known or knowable this time last week - will hurt its case for urgent removal & help Djokovic's claim.” https://twitter.com/GrayConnolly/status/1481885230479048705 https://twitter.com/GrayConnolly/status/1481885230479048705 https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/diplomatic-passport-could-give-djokovic-protection-from-deportation-ahead-of-looming-decision-from-immigration-minister/news-story/6fecc5e19b386dfeee82e3967caa9cc0 https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/diplomati... It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.

dkjaudyeqooe 5y ago
The idea that a diplomatic passport can save this guy is kind of delusional. In the event that being issued one while in Australia would actually change his status, the Australian government can expel foreign diplomats at will. It's not like Serbia has some strategic importance to them.

christmm 5y ago

dkjaudyeqooe 5y ago

Djokovic was never eligible to enter Australia. He lied about having a medical excuse to not be vaccinated. He used 'exemptions' from organisations other than the immigration authorities to muddy the waters. He was trying to blag it all along and got caught. He got lucky with a border guard making a mistake which ultimately allowed him entry, but doing anything but cancelling his visa would have been contrary to normal treatment under the law. Now he'll get an automatic 3 year ban, if not more due to the other laws he broke when he entered Australia.

ajkdhcb2 5y ago
The Australian authorities broke the law and mistreated him throughout the process. The court made its decision. I see the Minister using his power this way as systemic corruption that undermines the rule of law. As an Australian, I am not surprised by this; the legal system has been slowly eroded into a dystopian nightmare over the last 20 years and this is just another small step. One 'unvaxxed' entry with natural immunity is nothing as a risk to public health compared to the systemic consequences of this. For comparison, consider convicting a murderer over illegally obtained evidence. In a properly functioning liberal democracy the murderer should go free if the police act improperly, to protect the overall system.
mickotron 5y ago
Victorian Government gave him exemption. And prior to Novak arriving, the PM said it was "up to the states". Then he changed his mind within 24hrs.
- dkjaudyeqooe 5y ago
  The Victorian government doesn't have the power to, they have no immigration powers, and the relevant Federal minister had actually written to Tennis Australia twice advising them that there was no basis for him to enter based on previously having caught covid.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]

cycomanic 5y ago

What I thought amazing was how in the court case the judge clearly sided with ND and the case was essentially decided because the immigration officials didn't follow the correct process. I wish judges like that would have shown their spine like this when it came to the awful treatment of refugees. But it seems that immigration follows lawful processes is only important if a tennis millionaire is entering the country.

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mostertoaster 5y ago

Is omnicron worse than a common cold? Maybe the colloquial you always get a new virus with every common cold is also true of covid. If vaccinated people are spreading covid (and maybe more so since their symptoms are probably so minor), what good does banning an athlete in great health do? All it proves is this is about politics and power, not health. At this point all those who go along with this charade, insisting the emperor does indeed have clothes, are complicit in their crimes, the same way those who in the past defended the governments making the “dirty” ones sit at the back of the bus. What’s the big deal they just have to sit at the back of the bus? What’s the big deal about having to get vaccinated?

SideburnsOfDoom 5y ago
> Is omnicron worse than a common cold? Yes, in many cases substantially worse. > If vaccinated people are spreading covid, and maybe more so That's not accurate either.
- mostertoaster 5y ago
  No it is accurate. Vaccinated people are spreading and getting covid. Or are the masks for vaccinated folks just show?
  - SideburnsOfDoom 5y ago
    > No it is accurate. Vaccinated people are spreading and getting covid. But not "more so". Not even equal. it is less, and to say otherwise is inaccurate.
- JPKab 5y ago
  You've been wrong about Omicron the entire time. You were proclaiming doom weeks ago, and crapping all over many of us pointing at the South African data. We were proven correct, you were proven wrong. No sense of humility about this on your part. Just because some of us deal with fear better than others doesn't make us fools and you empathetic by comparison. "Many" is not remotely specific. It's hand-waving. "Many" people who drive cars die in car accidents. It's hand-wavy and vague, and is often an indication of cognitive dissonance to argue this way. The confidence with which these assertions are being made is unearned and unjustified.

mickotron 5y ago

As an Australian I am ashamed of our government's actions. Purely political theater to appease their domestic base. But it has backfired royally on them. I hope the polls reflect this.

relyks 5y ago

To give some other perspective, here's the text from Djokovic's statement on his Instagram page: > STATEMENT BY NOVAK DJOKOVIC 12 January 2022 I want to address the continuing misinformation about my activities and attendance at events in December in the lead up to my positive PCR COVID test result. This is misinformation which needs to be corrected, particularly in the interest of alleviating broader concern in the community about my presence in Australia, and to address matters which are very hurtful and concerning to my family. I want to emphasise that I have tried very hard to ensure the safety of everyone and my compliance with testing obligations. I attended a basketball game in Belgrade on 14 December after which it was reported that a number of people tested positive with COVID 19. Despite having no COVID symptoms, I took a rapid antigen test on 16 December which was negative, and out of an abundance of caution, also took an official and approved PCR test on that same day. The next day I attended a tennis event in Belgrade to present awards to children and took a rapid antigen test before going to the event, and it was negative. I was asymptomatic and felt good, and I had not received the notification of a positive PCR test result until after that event. The next day, on 18 December I was at my tennis centre in Belgrade to fulfil a long-standing commitment for a L’Equipe interview and photoshoot. I cancelled all other events except for the L’Equipe interview. I felt obliged to go ahead and conduct the L’Equipe interview as I didn’t want to let the journalist down, but did ensure I socially distanced and wore a mask except when my photograph was being taken. While I went home after the interview to isolate for the required period, on reflection, this was an error of judgement and I accept that I should have rescheduled this commitment. On the issue of my travel declaration, this was submitted by my support team on my behalf as I told immigration officials on my arrival - and my agent sincerely apologises for the administrative mistake in ticking the incorrect box about my previous travel before coming to Australia. This was a human error and certainly not deliberate. We are living in challenging times in a global pandemic and sometimes these mistakes can occur. Today, my team has provided additional information to the Australian Government to clarify this matter. While I felt it was important to address and clarify misinformation I will not be making any further comment out of utmost respect for the Australian Government and their authorities and the current process. It is always an honour and a privilege to play in the Australian Open. The Australian Open is much-loved by players, fans and the community, not just in Victoria and in Australia, but around the globe, and I just want to have the opportunity to compete against the best players in the world and perform before one of the best crowds in the world.[1] [1]: https://www.instagram.com/p/CYnO7cDqbdj/ https://www.instagram.com/p/CYnO7cDqbdj/

ambericanonion 5y ago

This distraction has worked marvellously. No time to cover the lack of food and tests in the supermarkets or any strategy other than sacrificing the weak for the sake of 'the economy'. Regarding immigration rules - it seems that if you're an au pair for the right family, incorrect entry forms can be fixed with a direct call to the minister.

guilhas 5y ago

Is in the public interest of Australian people for natural immunity to be recognized and this spectacle be over In comparison they are allowed to have cricket matches with hundreds of thousands of spectators packing

bjowen 5y ago
Those people are required to and have taken vaccine in order to attend. 95% of Australians have at this point. There are check-ins and density limits and other mandates to limit the spread, and it is still spreading at a rate faster than testing can keep up. Post infection immunity does not of itself prevent taking vaccine, and having both is the most protective, though their individual effectiveness is comparable [0]. Acknowledging post-infection immunity in place of vaccine-mediated immunity doesn’t make sense as a policy for the country: it doesn’t materially affect many people, it decrease the number of susceptible people at all, and the vaccines are free to all and easily available to most. In the case of the tennis player, if the recent tests are correctly recorded, and there is significant reason to doubt that they are[1], this is the second time he has been infected with COVID [2]. None of this is to say that the Australian federal government hasn’t embarrassed itself at every opportunity with this fiasco. The visa was issued apparently in contradiction to its own rules, the player was allowed to travel anyway and treated badly, overnight staff at the airport had to decide to overrule a departmental error and trigger this circus, breaching procedural fairness in the process - and then instead of making a prompt decision, the minister waited until the Friday night TV news had started to announce the decision to cancel, in what appears to be an effort to manage the message. Atrocious. Inept. Governing by press release to distract from their failings. 0: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC8475821/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC8475821/ 1: https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/novak-djokovic-were-the-results-of-his-positive-pcr-test-manipulated-a-cf3e7344-e98f-4fc3-8bb3-7727d4795e97 https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/novak-djokovic-we... 2: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-24/novak-djokovic-charity-tennis-tournament-became-coronavirus-mess/12387086 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-24/novak-djokovic-charit...
Mikeb85 5y ago
Yup. EU recognizes past infections, not sure why places like Canada and Australia refuse to. It's pretty clear it's not about science at this point. For example, in Canada some provinces have created exemptions for people who have COVID to be able to work, while firing those who are unvaccinated... Science has been completely tossed by the wayside because of politics and our vengeful population.

guilhas 5y ago

deleted 5y ago
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dang 5y ago
Please don't take HN threads into flamewar. We want to avoid that here. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29931805 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29931805.
- guilhas 5y ago
  Really? You leave a person opinion calling someone a dickhead. And delete the replies because they are not quite up to standards?
  - dang 5y ago
    That's not what the comment said. It was making a point about Australian public opinion. Your comment was a noticeable step into tedious, predictable flamewar. Please keep that kind of thing off HN. It's not what this site is for, and it destroys what it is for.
    - guilhas 5y ago
      According to this Australian poll only 4 in 10 have a negative view of Djokovic https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/news-local-survey-shows-novak-djokovic-welcome-stay-australia-least-50-public https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/news-local-survey-shows-n... My comment was also making the same point about the rest of the world opinion on Australian govs rules, that are affecting the player. And was clearly better backed, below, than the original comment But imagine next time there is a covid post, someone comments: "Many Americans think Fauci is a grade-A dickhead. It is politically unpalatable for him to be allowed to stay" Even if there was a point there, it could clearly have been expressed in an acceptable way. And probably will in the future again

emptyfile 5y ago

He must be a really convinced anti vaxer to die on this hill.

LatteLazy 5y ago

I don't really care if they let him in. That's up to Australia. But the various levels of government there have made a mess of this. If the federal government controls immigration, the state government and Tennis Australia should not be issuing visas and waivers. If they do issue them, you can't blame people for travelling. And I'd be pretty pissed if I had travelled to aus, and was then refused entry despite having a visa from one government because another one didn't like it!?

alkonaut 5y ago

It was bloody naive of Djoko to even think that he would be eligible for entry into Australia, Victoria, and the Tournament, all with the same muddy paperwork. Whatever assurances he got from one party (A state representative, a tournament representative) obviously doesn't carry over to the next instance. If he's allowed to play in the tournament but not enter the country, then he's out of luck. Same thing if he's allowed to enter the country but not the state or the tournament.

fmajid 5y ago

He should consider himself lucky he wasn’t jailed for forging a positive PCR test before being deported.

grujicd 5y ago
I’m not saying it was faked or not, but that was not prooven at all and nobody officially makes that accusation.

anotherevan 5y ago

On a slightly lighter note, this rather frank exchange by a couple of Australian TV newsreaders "off-air" during the ad break was leaked and created some local amusement and outrage. Something along the lines of, "They're just saying what we are all thinking," was a common sentiment. https://nitter.actionsack.com/MelbTigerTalk/status/1480851968893468674 https://nitter.actionsack.com/MelbTigerTalk/status/148085196...

grujicd 5y ago

There’s a live stream of legal appeal to this decission: https://youtu.be/t_-BcBnNeLA https://youtu.be/t_-BcBnNeLA