He can apply for another exemption but good luck with that if he's still unvaxxed when he doesSo no Aussie open for Djokovic for three years?
Its absurd really. People have made their mind up one way or other about vaccines. If Australia had said "no vaccine you can't play" at the start of this saga that would have been fine but they said if he had a medical exemption he could play and ultimately the exemption was fine.But the idea that Djokovic being in Australia is going to spur anti-vaccine sentiment I think is interesting. Without the mandate we wouldn't know if Djokovic had changed his mind re vaccination and non tennis fans wouldn't know of his past comments on the subject. Immigration minister accepts he "poses a negligible threat of infecting others" - kicking him out the country in spite of that is only further ammunition to those who argue its not about health but control.
well one tiny bright spot in an otherwise dark couple of years...Djokovic application dismissed
it's not just the aussie open, no tournaments in australia for the next 3 years...So no Aussie open for Djokovic for three years?
I personally wouldn't have been fond of such a stance but yeah even if they had won the argument that Djokovic did not have a valid medical exemption than whilst I don't like the rules they have been consistent and Djokovic knew the rules and was deemed ineligible to participate according to those rules. Instead, they have made this into a big story by refusing him based on his medical exemption - then gone back and said actually we are happy to accept the medical exemption but Djokovic remaining would stir up anti-vaccine sentiment. Once you accept Djokovic's medical exemption was valid which the Australian government did then any stirring of anti-vaccine sentiment (I think its questionable if kicking him out stops that) is on the Australian government. They made a big story out of a player travelling to Australia who they were willing to concede had a valid medical exemption.Its absurd really. People have made their mind up one way or other about vaccines. If Australia had said "no vaccine you can't play" at the start of this saga that would have been fine but they said if he had a medical exemption he could play and ultimately the exemption was fine.
We can criticise him for how he seems to have ignored the isolation period in Serbia, his stupid comments regarding health, vaccine and his all round obnoxiousness for the next 100000 years but ultimately he has been deported for "anti vax statements",,,,that leaves me very uncomfortable.
Anyway on the positive side, FAA has now gone from having a 0.00001 chance of winning this to a 0.0001 chance so swings and roundabouts.
That would be one positive, would like to see a FAA win in some ways - in other ways perhaps not - just as I won't be following much (less free time than prior years/time zones/saga dulling any pre-tournament buzz) - but as you suggest with no Djokovic probably his best chance in the short-term. I guess he still has time to get another grand slam if he wins this one - but certainly not the grand slam you'd choose to win if it was your one and only grand slam in your career.Anyway on the positive side, FAA has now gone from having a 0.00001 chance of winning this to a 0.0001 chance so swings and roundabouts.
They didn't do anything wrong tbh. They basically told him "if you can get here we'll let you play in our tournament". He interpretated that as "this gives me a right to get into australia", which is idiotic, and all on himno consequences for tennis australia after their stupid "medical exemption" started this whole sordid saga i guess? also if djokovic hadn't tweeted in that obnoxious, preening way after he got the exemption thereby drawing attention to what had happened, i have a feeling he may slipped through the cracks and ended up playing the tournament...
Even Tennis Australia don't say that - their statement was "Novak Djokovic will compete at the Australian Open and is on his way to Australia. Djokovic applied for a medical exemption which was granted following a rigorous review process involving two separate independent panels of medical experts."They didn't do anything wrong tbh. They basically told him "if you can get here we'll let you play in our tournament". He interpretated that as "this gives me a right to get into australia", which is idiotic, and all on him