Personal harassment? The scandal surrounding Djokovic continues, en route to an international crisis

Reuters reports: Three tennis players with documents similar to Djokovic's were allowed to enter Australia. A source in the tennis association: "It is not clear to me how the organizers will deal with this matter." Journalists attacked: "Everyone is going bad", "Novak, drive home, they do not deserve you"

Walla! sport

06/01/2022

Thursday, 06 January 2022, 06:30 Updated: 07:05

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The storm of Novak Djokovic and the state of Australia will continue to accompany us for a long time to come.

Reuters reports that three other tennis players have been given permission to enter the country and take part in the Australian Open with the exact same documents presented by the world number one, who is known to have been refused and rejected by the authorities.

In Australia it was claimed that a source close to the local tennis association said that in the country Djokovic was not allowed to enter to avoid an unpopular decision to grant him an exceptional permit and how it would be perceived in the country.

"I do not know how the top officials in the country will be able to deal with the fact that there are already some tennis players in the country with the same documents as Novak," the source said, "it looks like they are letting some of the players in, but not ranked No. 1 in the world."

More on Walla!

Australia has denied the visa to Novak Djokovic, who will appeal to the court

To the full article

What a fiasco.

Djokovic (Photo: GettyImages, Clive Brunskill)

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison tweeted: "Mr Djokovic's visa has been revoked. Law is law, especially when it comes to our borders. No one is above these laws. Our rigid border policy is critical for Australia to keep the death toll lowest. In the world of Corona, we will continue to be decisive in the matter. "

Two implications of the decision should be noted. Djokovic is likely to encounter many more countries that will make it difficult for him to enter them, at best, or ban them at worst, if he is not vaccinated. In addition, it is not clear what the consequences will be in terms of the Australian Open, a tournament he has won nine times in the past and it is impossible to know whether he will agree to return to play there in case he is expelled from the country.

Meanwhile many journalists from around the world attacked the authorities in Australia for all the fiasco that was created.

Serbian Sasha Ozmo tweeted: "Is there any Australian politician who has not yet used Djokovic's situation to win some cheap points?".

The British Simon Cambers wrote: "What a crazy situation. Although Novak Djokovic could and should have avoided all of this by vaccinating, no one comes out of it well."

Russian journalist Vladas LeSitzkas wrote: "Little people try to be part of a big story by using Novak. What a mess. Nola, drive home. Do not waste your time and nerves, they do not deserve it."

Not a big protest in the streets of Melbourne (Photo: Reuters)

As you may recall, the world number one was not allowed to enter Australia yesterday after the country refused to grant him a medical exemption from vaccination requirements. He was placed under quarantine at a hotel in Melbourne, after being held for long hours at the airport. He was told he would be expelled from the country and required to leave, but he appealed the decision, with a hearing on his case later in the day.

The affair has become an international saga, as Australia battles the virus, fearing public opinion - after months of media outcry and pressure from all directions. In Serbia they claim personal harassment against Nola, and in Australia they claim that he will not be given preferential treatment. However, others claim to have made him a scapegoat, and try to get stronger at his expense.

"There are no special cases, the laws are the laws," said Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, "we will continue to make the right decisions when it comes to securing Australia's borders in relation to this epidemic." Djokovic, who has consistently refused to reveal the status of his vaccines while publicly criticizing mandatory vaccines, sparked outrage when he wrote on Instagram that he had been granted a medical exemption to attend the tournament that opened on January 17, in an attempt to break the Grand Slam record. The announcement caused a stir in Australia, especially in the host city of Melbourne, which has been hit hard in the last two years and has faced the longest cumulative closure in the world in an attempt to ward off the corona virus. The rate of vaccines for adults in Australia stands at about 91% and there is little public sympathy for those who refuse to be vaccinated.

However, Serbian President Alexander Wojciech said he had talked to Djokovic to reassure the player and told him ""That all of Serbia is with him and that our country is doing everything to stop the harassment of the best tennis player in the world immediately."

"In accordance with all the norms of international law, Serbia will fight for Novak, truth and justice," Wojciech wrote on Twitter.

Meanwhile, tennis fans in Australia have also protested against the decision not to bring in the biggest star of world tennis.

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