Novax Djokovic - The Departed Deported

When you're not on board (with the agenda), you're on board (a plane home)

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Was Djokovic enticed into the country to be made an example of and as a warning to others?

Controversy over the number one ranked player reached a climax yesterday as he flew into Melbourne to play in the Australian Open. The furore began last month after Djokovic refused to declare his vaccination status and he was expected to withdraw from the Open. However, he did not pull out but the ‘will he, won’t he’ articles continued in the press.

Then, earlier in the week, the Open officials announced that a medical exemption had been granted for Djokovic and he was on his way to defend his title. Uproar from the general public and draconian Australian ministers ensued, culminating in his immediate detention on landing in Melbourne yesterday.

The official reason for the detention was that his visa was invalid due to its failure to meet Australia’s Covid vaccination exemption requirements. Novak had his phone removed, was held in a room for eight hours and had the enjoyable company of two armed police officers making sure he didn’t escape by garrotting them with some concealed tennis strings he kept in his pocket for just such an occasion.

He has now been taken to a government detention hotel which has housed refugees and asylum seekers over the last year. Within the last two weeks, two fires have broken out on the 3rd and 4th floors and staff have been taken to hospital with smoke inhalation and after being assaulted, so clearly not the nicest of hotels. Djokovic has been allowed to appeal his case but the Judge adjourned the case, for another three days, until Monday.

It has clearly become a political issue but when was the decision made to detain Djokovic and make such a dramatic political point? Was he enticed to fly into the country to be made an example of or did public pressure become too much for Prime Minister Scott Morrison, during his flight over?

Whatever the reason for the massive U-turn, the decision is being used as a warning to others, not to try the same thing. The evidence is clear now, being vaccinated does not stop one getting coronavirus, nor transmitting it on, especially with the new Omicron variant. The main reason for being vaccinated, if you so choose, is to hopefully reduce the severity of your illness if you get COVID-19. There are no logical reasons to not allow unvaccinated people into a country, unless you include panic, fear, coercion or vindictiveness.

Looking at the graph above, maybe Djokovic should be more worried about Australia, not the other way around. But let us not forget that Novak is one of THE fittest and healthiest individuals on the planet, let alone in Australia. Furthermore, he already had Covid less than 6 months ago so probably has far better protection than if he was vaccinated.

Djokovic’s father, Srdjan, told the press, “This is not just a fight for Novak, but a fight for the whole world”, and I wholeheartedly agree.

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Some updated information:

• The issue doesn’t actually seem to be a visa one. No Australian visas are linked to vaccination status as this is a separate document;

• Apparently, his exemption was given due to his recent coronavirus infection and has been granted, for the same reason, to many Australians recently. However, the certificate he produced wasn’t internationally recognised, according to the Australian border force;

• Novak requested that he move to the house he rented, so that he could move around, but has had his request rejected;

• Australian Open officials are removing any fans holding signs in support of Djokovic.