Who is being U, Australia or Novak Djokovic?

[inheritancetrack]

Me, I'm in the you can't have your cake and eat it Novak, camp!

@Otherpeoplesteens

I'm amazed that his sponsors haven't publicly dumped him. I wouldn't buy anything from Peugeot or Lacoste at the moment.

They're probably waiting to see how it all pans out? Doesn't show him in a good light at the moment though.

I don’t think it’s playing out badly for ND at all? Commentators I have heard over last few days in U.K. at least seem broadly sympathetic to him so why would his sponsors dump him?

If anything it is playing out badly for Australia’s reputation imo.
One article from BBC below but a good summary I think of what some people (outside Australia) think about it all. TLDR it’s all politics.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-59923332

Most people accept that he's been messed around. The authorities haven't acted well.

But his claims about having a positive test are dubious, at best. He agreed to take part in a stitch-up, whichever way you look at it. I don't think he has much support outside his fan base.

I think he'd be better off withdrawing from the tournament citing something bland, like this is detracting from the tennis etc and go home. Personally I think he was given incorrect advice but the onus was on him to check the information. His parents are making the situation worse with their bizarre rantings.

Novak has always hated how unpopular he was with the fans. In fact, when he lost the US Open last year he said he felt he'd won (or something similar) because of the crowd support for him. I can't see the crowd supporting him if he plays in the AO. Also, the optics of the positive covid test are dreadful. The fact that he was pictured after the positive result makes it look like he's colluding with a lie of testing positive.

In truth, he either is lying he tested positive on 16th December or he broke the law by not isolating. It can't be neither as they are conflicting. Neither scenario is good for his image. He may win the court case - I don't know enough about it so haven't a clue if he will or not. The court can't do anything about not isolating, if they are given evidence it's a lie as that's a matter for Serbia to deal with. They might comment on it but can't judge on it as it's outside jurisdiction.

Novak is being U. He knew the rules.

The point is this whole thing is a bigger cluster fuck for Australia than it is for ND. He has nothing to lose now and there is zero chance he’ll willingly go home. Why would he?
TA obviously wanted him to play and he is good for (tennis) business.
Now the world is looking at Australia’s immigration policy and how it treats refugees and it looks pretty bad and is somewhat overshadowing ND.
I think the federal government imagined / hoped ND would just go home but I don’t think he’s that sort of person and prefers a fight and this has rather back on them.
I’m 60:40 it will go in his favour.
I wouldn’t bet my mortgage but would bet a tenner

@HPFA

Most people accept that he's been messed around. The authorities haven't acted well.

But his claims about having a positive test are dubious, at best. He agreed to take part in a stitch-up, whichever way you look at it. I don't think he has much support outside his fan base.

If we see exactly what he gave as his reasons and what replies he got, then it's possible to see if he was told he could come when that wouldn't work. What I find so hard to square with the "poor ND was told he could come" is this nonsense about a 16th December test. Looking at the timings and his excuses again, he could only have got the result 1st-3rd January to be able to pack and hop on a flight on 4th January but not have needed to isolate. Now, it's possible that someone in that 3-day window then gave him some bad advice that he was fine to fly out and his visa would be approved, but he doesn't seem to be claiming that, he's claiming it was all approved months ago. From memory, don't you have to confirm in the visa paperwork that you're telling the truth and that your application will be rejected if you give any false statements? When was the result received? When was he told this made attendance ok, as someone would need to confirm him for the match schedules? When were his flights booked? If any reasonable person might conclude he didn't have covid based on the dates not lining up with the excuse, then I would think that has some bearing on the government side of the appeal that he lied on the visa application.

I hope ND is asked for clarification on the positive covid test and he doesn't hide behind lawyers. The Australian lawyers will surely question it in detail to see if it stacks up. I think the whole thing hinges on timings. If the court thinks he lied about having covid, it opens the door to the fact that he could have lied on his visa application. However, if it looks like he did have covid but knowingly didn't isolate, it won't do his image any favours.

Australia have always been pretty blunt about expectations of visitors and immigrants. Basically entering and remaining in Australia is a privilege not a right and is accompanied by a requirement to adhere to certain rules and regulations - If you don't agree to them don't let the door hit your arse on the way out. And that's how it should be.

Djokavic is an antivaxer, though especially in his case it seems a bit foolish to push the "i'll trust my own immune system" line, as it is also claimed he has coeliac disease, which is an auto immune disorder. His immune system is literally attacking his body/trying to kill him every time he eats a bit of bread , that and it is also claimed he caught Covid in December - well done immune system!

16th December positive test seems to be irrelevant as apparently the deadline to apply for a medical exemption with Tennis Australia was the 10th, at which point he was negative?
Seems that he tried to push his luck. The aussie government is now saying Novak was warned a medical exemption would not guarantee him entry.
I suspect he knew he was on potentially dodgy ground but thought the government would fold. Tennis Australia obviously wanted him there as the record is on the line- he thought he was above the rules.

@user1471447863

Australia have always been pretty blunt about expectations of visitors and immigrants. Basically entering and remaining in Australia is a privilege not a right and is accompanied by a requirement to adhere to certain rules and regulations - If you don't agree to them don't let the door hit your arse on the way out. And that's how it should be.

Djokavic is an antivaxer, though especially in his case it seems a bit foolish to push the "i'll trust my own immune system" line, as it is also claimed he has coeliac disease, which is an auto immune disorder. His immune system is literally attacking his body/trying to kill him every time he eats a bit of bread , that and it is also claimed he caught Covid in December - well done immune system!

Apparently his "coeliac" disease wasn't diagnosed by the usual method of blood tests, but by waving bread near his stomach to see if his arm felt weak. So he's probably ok on that.

@Chulainn

I hope ND is asked for clarification on the positive covid test and he doesn't hide behind lawyers. The Australian lawyers will surely question it in detail to see if it stacks up. I think the whole thing hinges on timings. If the court thinks he lied about having covid, it opens the door to the fact that he could have lied on his visa application. However, if it looks like he did have covid but knowingly didn't isolate, it won't do his image any favours.

The government's response isn't so much whether he had COVID or not in the last 6 months but rather whether he had suffered a serious illness/complication as a result of having COVID which meant he couldn't be vaccinated. The court appears are interesting.

Australia have always been pretty blunt about expectations of visitors and immigrants. Basically entering and remaining in Australia is a privilege not a right and is accompanied by a requirement to adhere to certain rules and regulations - If you don't agree to them don't let the door hit your arse on the way out. And that's how it should be.

Well said. Why do people think they can just wander in and out of countries at will, and to hell with that country's rules?

Useful timeline here:

www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-10/djokovic-melbourne-court-battle-monday/100746234

What’s really sad is there are actual real world problems that don’t get the media attention this ND debacle has had. What a ridiculous world we live in.

Neither really. They have their rules and it's his choice to get vaccinated or not. As it should be.

I haven't been vaccinated, none of my family have, my children, partner, none of us and no plans to.

I'm quite happy to follow all the restrictions placed on me.

It is a real world problem/issue though.

Millions of people have been killed by Covid. Many more are facing long term disablity.

Letting him in unvaccinated and without genuine exemption would be an appalling message. A potentially deadly one. He's a famous sportsman - a role model for some. It would be a gift for anti vaxxers - because it encourages the (false) notion that vaccines aren't so important afterall.

Rafa's uncle talks sense on the situation (as does Rafa).

www.eurosport.com/tennis/australian-open/2022/novak-djokovic-must-be-aware-toni-nadal-urges-star-to-clear-up-doubts-over-australian-open-exemption_sto8693566/story.shtml

I'm pleased D won appeal. Vindicates my impression he was being unfairly & now righted

@Chulainn

I hope ND is asked for clarification on the positive covid test and he doesn't hide behind lawyers. The Australian lawyers will surely question it in detail to see if it stacks up. I think the whole thing hinges on timings. If the court thinks he lied about having covid, it opens the door to the fact that he could have lied on his visa application. However, if it looks like he did have covid but knowingly didn't isolate, it won't do his image any favours.

BBC have just announced that he has won his case.

So money does get you whatever you want. Hardly a good day for Australian law, is it.

He's won! For Pete's sake.

It looks like Tennis Australia completed the ATP for him, so they screwed up. I'm surprised they filled it in and didn't send the detailed caveats over, but it seems they didn't. The Australian federal government could have continued to fight it, but it's messy. (Still struggle with the remarkable convenience of his positive test date.)

He'll be booed on court.

As Jamie Murray says in a presser... he wouldn't get an exemption if it were him. Exactly.

I think it is appalling. If there is some sort of administrative error, that is bad, but it's the anti vax message this gives out that matters. He is a known anti vaxxer, his wife (apparently) believes in the 5G nonsense.

He hates the fact that he's not as popular as Nadal, Federer.... well... this isn't going to help is it...

It’s the correct and only decision imo. And shows the Australian authorities in a very poor light. Very embarrassing all round for them.
BBC reporting that the minister can overturn decision but that would look utterly vindictive if he/ she does as Novak no matter whether he has or hasn’t had covid previously clearly doesn’t have it right now.
What a farce!
If I was ND I would be looking to sue the Australian government for false imprisonment and reputation damage and give any winnings to tennis schools in Serbia.