Anyone for Tennis - Djokovic situation discussion time ?

STANDY · Jan 8, 2022

blufinz52
Novak is being allowed to play. He's received an exemption because he had Covid a month ago.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/08/tennis/novak-djokovic-covid-australia-intl-spt/index.html

Tennis Australia said if you had it in the last 6 months you could claim a exemption.
Tennis Australia and Victoria government gave him a exemption to play on their rules
September Federal government said to Tennis Australia that you couldn’t use positive case as a exemption
Exemption was a blind exemption and documentation still had to be sighted.

Has a exemption to play Tennis in Melbourne NOT to enter Australia

New Customs Officer on duty the other night

cvalue13 · Jan 8, 2022

blufinz52
HIPAA does not prohibit you from providing your medical information to anyone. The law prohibits medical professional from disseminating your medical information. Of course, it's within your rights to not disclose any personal information to anyone.

And should you not choose to share it, worth mentioning it’s equally within the rights of others to refuse you services, access, etc.

It’s not really any special magic about this specific set of “rules,” nor is it particularly unique. If you drive a car without a license, there are repercussions; you can’t drive until you’re a certain age; when you are of age and have a license, you’re to abide by certain limitations of behaviors like wearing a seatbelt, not crashing into others, etc.

Could a professional racecar driver exceed the speed limit with less risk to others, or not wear a seatbelt with less risk to the state’s limited medical resources? Sure. But why the hell get into granting such exceptions?

That’s simply not how public policy laws work. Least of all public health policy.

Larry S · Jan 8, 2022

Went to dinner and the symphony two nights ago. Had to show ID and vax card. No worries. I’ve found a line of washable sports masks I can live with. Today I will go to my gym. My card is already on file. The hospitals are filling up. Normal appointments are being cancelled. My son had a diagnostic procedure cancelled he’s been waiting three months for, no clue as to when he’ll get it. I’m out of patience with the un-vaxed. Especially Irving, this guy and Rodgers.

Dan S · Jan 8, 2022

STANDY
Tennis Australia said if you had it in the last 6 months you could claim a exemption.
Tennis Australia and Victoria government gave him a exemption to play on their rules
September Federal government said to Tennis Australia that you couldn’t use positive case as a exemption

Clearest explanation I've heard yet of the situation. Thank you. Taken in context with his past actions, Djokovic's behavior isn't surprising to me. Like many (not all) professional athletes, he's a prima donna who thinks he is entitled to special treatment.

There are a few other notable pro athletes in the US (Aaron Rodgers, Kylie Irving) who are taking similar stances, despite causing a lot of trouble for themselves and everyone around them. My guess is that they just made an arbitrary decision early on, perhaps based on bad advice, and their egos won't let them compromise, even now that they've seen billions of people vaccinated without incident.

Vercingetorix · Jan 8, 2022

I heard an interview with Stella McCartney the other day. She was talking about being a vegan, Lewis Hamilton was vegan, and so was the guy that won Wimbledon😗.

Archer · Jan 8, 2022

Togri v. 2.0
Respect for Djokovic’s talent, which is undeniable, but I have never liked him as a player or sports persona and all his corona antics haven’t changed my opinion but rather re-enforced it.

My wife and I are huge tennis fans, and I watch as many tournaments as I possibly can. I've tried to like him (as a person) over the years, but honestly I can't. As you say, his abilities are tremendous and I do think he will be the best ever player when it comes to stats. He wants desperately to be loved as much as Rafa and Roger, but he never will be, in particular now with these antics.

Every time I try to give him the benefit of the doubt, he proves that he is a dick. I saw someone refer to him in an article as Novaxx Djokovic the other day...

If true, this is his second covid infection, the first being very early on in the pandemic when he organized an exhibition tennis event and went out partying when there were very few treatments and no vaccines. He and other players caught it then.

As noted Australia doesn't allow a recent covid infection to enter the country, so my feeling is he won't be participating in this event.

I agree pretty much with the comments Rafa made the other day - it's tough situation for him, but he knew the requirements months ago. This situation is entirely of his own making, so I have zero sympathy for him. He is his own worst enemy.

dsio · Jan 8, 2022

STANDY
Tennis Australia said if you had it in the last 6 months you could claim a exemption.
Tennis Australia and Victoria government gave him a exemption to play on their rules
September Federal government said to Tennis Australia that you couldn’t use positive case as a exemption
Exemption was a blind exemption and documentation still had to be sighted.

Has a exemption to play Tennis in Melbourne NOT to enter Australia

New Customs Officer on duty the other night

Precisely, and the information the federal government provided to Tennis Australia was not ambiguous at all. Tennis Australia still didn’t pass on that correct information to the players, and they know Novak is an outspoken anti-vaxxer as well as a major draw card that accounts for a lot of tv coverage and bums on seats.

I think there are two possibilities here, one is that Tennis Australia are just pathetically incompetent, which is entirely plausible.

The second is that Tennis Australia knew what they were doing when they provided that bad info to players because they wanted Novak there, and they figured once he was here the general unpopularity of the federal government would make them bend over and make an exception.

Tennis Australia has a financial incentive for Novak to play so I’m leaning a bit more towards the later. Aside from that, while the federal government isn’t loved, Australians do have a particular hatred for people getting special treatment, especially ultra-wealthy foreign celebrities.

Omegafanman · Jan 8, 2022

Larry S
Went to dinner and the symphony two nights ago. Had to show ID and vax card. No worries. I’ve found a line of washable sports masks I can live with. Today I will go to my gym. My card is already on file. The hospitals are filling up. Normal appointments are being cancelled. My son had a diagnostic procedure cancelled he’s been waiting three months for, no clue as to when he’ll get it. I’m out of patience with the un-vaxed. Especially Irving, this guy and Rodgers.

I hope he gets his treatment soon. In the UK it is variable and some hospitals are better at managing non Covid bed blockers - typically elderly and mentally ill who need basic 24 hour nursing care which we have a lack of provision for in the UK. The graphs below do show a predictable situation in the UK with a growing population and increasingly elderly demographic from the baby boomers (again predicted) We spent £70 billion on a furlough scheme - maybe extra investment in care beds earlier would have helped. Seasonal flu has had the NHS teetering on the edge in a number of winters pre-covid. Maybe blanket ongoing vaccination is not the best use of funds - focus on at risk groups and third world?
.

cvalue13 · Jan 8, 2022

Omegafanman
Maybe blanket ongoing vaccination is not the best use of funds - focus on at risk groups and third world?

You do in this thread at times seem a bit more interested in discussing vaccination public health policy than its incidental impacts on tennis. That interest is completely understandable, though - as you yourself mentioned regarding previous such attempted threads - not entirely productive content for OF.

Professional airline pilots are fallible, and we should collectively expect that they strive to lessen their imperfections; but it doesn’t mean we should be rushing the cockpit to take the controls ourselves.

Least of all on OF.

STANDY · Jan 8, 2022

If he fails to have his visa cancellation overturned and is deported, Djokovic could be barred from re-entering Australia for up to three years.

🍿

Wait to this titbit gets out 😗

Archer · Jan 8, 2022

STANDY
If he fails to have his visa cancellation overturned and is deported, Djokovic could be barred from re-entering Australia for up to three years.

🍿

Wait to this titbit gets out 😗

I very much doubt this will happen.

Omegafanman · Jan 8, 2022

cvalue13
You do in this thread at times seem a bit more interested in discussing vaccination public health policy than its incidental impacts on tennis. That interest is completely understandable, though - as you yourself mentioned regarding previous such attempted threads - not entirely productive content for OF.

Professional airline pilots are fallible, and we should collectively expect that they strive to lessen their imperfections; but it doesn’t mean we should be rushing the cockpit to take the controls ourselves.

Least of all on OF.

I think this is a court of public opinion match as much as a centre court match for him - so it is valid to consider relevant data in terms of how bad his stance is and what level of justification there is for sanctions.

Archer · Jan 8, 2022

Omegafanman
I think this is a court of public opinion match as much as a centre court match for him - so it is valid to consider relevant data in terms of how bad his stance is and what level of justification there is for sanctions.

I personally see it as a matter of laws, and compliance with them, nothing more.

STANDY · Jan 8, 2022

Archer
I very much doubt this will happen.

Doubt he will be excluded for 3 years but don't think he will be allowed in on exemption this year.

Archer · Jan 8, 2022

STANDY
Doubt he will be excluded for 3 years but don't think he will be allowed in on exemption this year.

Agreed, as I’ve already said he won’t get in for this one.

Shabbaz · Jan 8, 2022

The worst thing is that Djokovic eventually will be the best player of all time (in terms of winning grandslams)...

dsio · Jan 8, 2022

Omegafanman
I think this is a court of public opinion match as much as a centre court match for him - so it is valid to consider relevant data in terms of how bad his stance is and what level of justification there is for sanctions.

It isn’t, it’s a matter of Australian immigration law which is lucky for Novak in a sense as if it were left up to public opinion he would be royally screwed. What he and other people attempting to break the rules are doing is so deeply despised that they’re even more hated than the federal government right now, and that takes a lot of doing.

MTROIS · Jan 8, 2022

Stars / celebrities are not above the law… and therefore, he should not be allowed to compete if he doesn’t follow the rules.
If on the other hand, he does meet the law / rules requirements, then he should be allowed to participate. Simple.

If you have convictions, such as not getting vaccinated, that is your right, but then do not complain if you can not compete/join an event because you can’t meet the requirements or abide by the law. Accept the consequences of your actions (or lack thereof).

I am obviously not going to comment on what was conveyed to him by Australian Tennis officials or not, because I do not have all the facts in my hands.

MTROIS · Jan 8, 2022

STANDY
If he fails to have his visa cancellation overturned and is deported, Djokovic could be barred from re-entering Australia for up to three years.

🍿

Wait to this titbit gets out 😗

May be if he lied on his immigration papers!?

dsio · Jan 8, 2022

MTROIS
May be if he lied on his immigration papers!?

Based on the documents that have come out of Tennis Australia it looks more like it’s in the category of “taking the piss” rather than deliberate lying.