Novak Djokovic is still sitting in a hotel for migrants and waiting for the fate of his visa to be decided. An appeal against the authorities’ decision to annul his visa is scheduled for 10 January. Meanwhile, his case is beginning to acquire new details that confuse even more. MK-Sport is trying to figure it out.
So Novak Djokovic , known for his negative views on vaccinations, flew to Melbourne for the Australian Open on January 4th. With a medical record issued to him by a special medical commission organized by Tennis Australia. The commission confirmed that the Serbian tennis player has good reason not to be vaccinated and can come to the tournament without quarantine. Moreover, the specialists allegedly did not know whose application they were considering.
Recall that the Australian authorities do not allow unvaccinated people into the country, and no exception was made for athletes either. Well, not for all athletes …
Djokovic was not allowed on the border. Officially, due to the fact that his visa did not provide for exemption from vaccination, and documents confirming the right to medical removal were not provided. His visa was canceled and they were ready to be deported, but he appealed this decision of the authorities, and stayed in a quarantine hotel until January 10, when a hearing is due.
Novak was put in a hotel where migrants usually await their fate, and this caused heated discussions in Australia about the conditions of stay of the unfortunate refugees, because immediately the whole world learned that Djokovic had bugs in his room, and the food there was so disgusting that the athlete asked to be admitted to his personal chef’s hotel.
Later, the legal details of the incident were revealed. Tennis Australia has sent players options for medical disqualification from vaccinations. They included a clause stating that you can come unvaccinated if you had a coronavirus after July 31, 2021.
In the documents of Djokovic, it turns out, there was evidence that Novak passed a positive test for covid on December 16. He quickly recovered and went to his favorite Grand Slam tournament. However, the federal authorities in Australia and the government of Victoria, where Melbourne is located, argue that such a point could not be, because the transferred covid is not a reason not to be vaccinated.
Accusations were poured on Tennis Australia and personally on its head Craig Tealey that they misinformed tennis players. Moreover, in addition to Djokovic, several other players and even the tournament referee received the same method, and they were allowed to go to Australia, but after the scandal with the Serbian first racket, they began an investigation. And they also canceled the visa.
One of these victims is Czech Renata Vorachova , who even managed to play a doubles match at a tournament in Melbourne. “I did everything that was required of me. It is likely that the Australian Tennis Association has misled us – this is outrageous. During passport control, my documents were carefully checked and did not find fault with anything. The border guards said everything was fine and I could go. The representatives of the state of Victoria detained a little – they sent my documents somewhere, but then they confirmed my arrival without any problems. I was going to get vaccinated a few weeks after the end of last season. But just then I got sick with coronavirus and there was no time for vaccination, since I already had to fly to Australia, ”said Vorachova, who found herself in the same hotel as Djokovic.
Craig Teeley, who remained silent for a long time, decided to justify himself: “We did not mislead anyone. All the information that we had at that time was provided to the players, and it was taken from the website of the Ministry of Health. From the very beginning, we said that one hundred percent condition for coming to Australia would be vaccination with those drugs that are really approved in Australia. Also, we have always said that there will be a handful of people who will need exceptions for medical reasons. We’re not going to blame anyone, but the difficulty is that the situation is constantly changing. We are in a very difficult situation, “Tennis Majors quoted Teeley as saying.
Perhaps it’s all about poor organization, confusion, and an ever-changing situation. With the proliferation of omicron, protocols and requirements are indeed constantly being rewritten. And the same Djokovic, who received confirmation from Tennis Australia that the recently transferred coronavirus is a medical treatment, realized that there were no obstacles and happily flew to Melbourne. But here the situation becomes even more confusing …
According to reports, the tennis player passed a positive test on December 16. And on December 17, on Instagram of Djokovic himself, photos from the solemn event dedicated to the release of a postage stamp named after the great Novak appear. There he walks without a mask, talks to people.
Moreover, the Daily Mail published photos from a charity event of the Novak Foundation, where Djokovic communicates with children on December 17, also without a mask. Moreover, on December 17, ATP also officially announces the release of the Djokovic stamp.
And on December 25, that is, nine days after the allegedly positive test, a video appears on Instagram where he plays tennis on the streets of Belgrade. No isolation, no quarantine …
Novak, what’s going on? It seems like it really is time for him to stop being silent.
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