Australia Pulls Plug on Tennis Star’s Visa Exemption over Vaccine Status
It’s with great irony that an Australian immigration minister is leading what appears to be a massive public punishment against the world’s top tennis star just ahead of the Australian Open. And yes, it is over his vaccine status.
Yes today, amid much of a media storm this week about the visa and vaccine status of Novak Djokovic ahead of the Australian Open, an immigration official pulled the plug.
It’s not exactly an example of cancel culture. But it’s close.
“Today I exercised my power under section 133C(3) of the Migration Act to cancel the visa held by Mr Novak Djokovic on health and good order grounds, on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so,” Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke wrote on Friday.
Persona Non-Grata
The decision not only bans Djokovic from the Australian Open, which starts Monday, it also bars him from entering Australia for three years.
Prior to arriving in the country, Djokovic had applied for and received an exemption from the country’s coronavirus vaccination requirement. But when he arrived in Australia in early January, border authorities there rejected that exemption and locked him in a detention center.
Earlier this week, Djokovic had through his attorneys won his case to stay in an Australian court. But today, the immigration official had the last say. And his say was a resounding “no.”
The Irony in It
It’s ironic because it comes during a week in which the world’s top epidemiologists came out and said the current vaccines are ineffective in preventing the new variants to COVID-19. The Omicron variant is the latest one infecting much of the world’s population.
Yes, the World Health Organization made official something that most of us realized in the past month: vaccinated people are still getting sick from COVID. It wasn’t truly new news, but it was a bit reassuring that the WHO put the information out there publically.
It is also ironic because Djovokic is notoriously one to turn the other cheek. He grew up in the midst of the Bosnian war, unable to play outside due to violence and bombs. Yet he refuses to hold a grudge or any ill will. Instead, he started a foundation that supports outdoor playtime for children around the world.
Virus Spreading Among Vaccinated People
One thing the epidemiologists didn’t say was how transmissible the virus is among vaccinated people. It should be pretty clear by now the scientists don’t know that.
It should also be noted that tennis is not a sport requiring close contact among players. Djokovic, in fact, has been practicing there this week after winning his release from an immigration detention center.
But, alas, the Aussies didn’t want to encourage or excite “anti-vaxxers” by giving Djokovic a pass on the country’s strict rules, according to the tennis star’s attorneys. And that’s where the Aussies got it wrong. It’s a mistake to lump Djokovic in the same category as “anti-vaxxers.” For one, the tennis player has reportedly made sizeable donations to coronavirus relief efforts in Serbia and Italy and doesn’t criticize prevention efforts.
Novak’s Views on the Jab
As far as widely publicized views, Djokovic first expressed his thoughts on the topic of COVID-19 vaccines in his native Serbian in April 2020. Then he made a comment to the Associated Press. That’s below:
“I have expressed my views because I have the right to and I also feel responsible to highlight certain essential topics that are concerning the tennis world,” Djokovic said. “I am no expert, but I do want to have an option to choose what’s best for my body. I am keeping an open mind, and I’ll continue to research this topic because it is important, and it will affect all of us.”
Going to the Source
The way the AP described it, it was an even-tempered and rational view. However, in the past week or two, as Djovokic sat in a detention center and his lawyers faced a judge, reporters for media outlets like CNN and much of the social media blew the whole series of events into a circus. Supporters partied in the streets. And others quickly judged with wild accusations.
For his part, Djokovic and his family cleared up some of the sandstorms this week. He released a statement on Instagram and Twitter explaining his December diagnosis. And his family back in Serbia held a press conference, saying Djovokic “only has love for Australia” and respects that country’s laws.
Meanwhile, it should be noted, there’s absolutely no evidence or even suggestion the tennis star infected anyone with the virus. The entire drama, which tennis star Rafael Nadal referred to as “a circus,” shows how mean and judgmental the world has become in the midst of the pandemic. And Djokovic is symbolic of the firestorm taking place across the world about public trust in the systems to end it.
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