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‘Rules Are Rules’: Australian Prime Minister Releases a Statement on Novak Djokovic’s Visa Cancellation
After several months of continued speculations and confusions, Novak Djokovic had finally confirmed his presence at the Australian Open. The World No. 1 had managed to secure a medical exemption in order to defend his title at the Grand Slam.
However, as soon as the news broke out, many fans, especially Australians, were unhappy with Djokovic’s special treatment. Moreover, the Serbian player is also unvaccinated, which didn’t sit right with fans of a country that was seeing cases rise every day.
Scott Morrison is strictly against Novak Djokovic
Thus, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison himself entered the fray. He assured everyone that Djokovic would need to provide sufficient evidence for his exemption. Otherwise, he would be on “the next plane home”.
Tennis – ATP Masters 1000 – Paris Masters – Accor Arena, Paris, France – November 7, 2021 Serbia’s Novak Djokovic reacts during his final match against Russia’s Daniil Medvedev REUTERS/Christian Hartmann
Now, the drama has compounded after Novak Djokovic‘s Australian visa has now been cancelled. Furthermore, it appears that PM Scott Morrison himself saw to it.
He came out with a tweet about Djokovic, talking about how “rules are rules” for everyone, and the Serbian was no exception. “Mr Djokovic’s visa has been cancelled. Rules are rules, especially when it comes to our borders,” Morrison’s tweet read.
Mr Djokovic’s visa has been cancelled. Rules are rules, especially when it comes to our borders. No one is above these rules. Our strong border policies have been critical to Australia having one of the lowest death rates in the world from COVID, we are continuing to be vigilant.
— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) January 5, 2022
Thus, the 20-time Grand Slam champion found himself held up at the Melbourne airport for several hours. Subsequently, Australian border forces revoked his visa.
Reportedly, Novak Djokovic is now in a government detention hotel pending his departure back to Serbia. However, there is still hope, as Djokovic may seek injunctive relief legally to continue being in Australia and play the Australian Open.
All of Serbia backs Djokovic in his struggle
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic reacts during his final match against Russia’s Daniil Medvedev | Credits: Reuters
Novak Djokovic’s father Srdjan Djokovic has expressed his anger at the treatment of his son. He called this situation“not just a fight for Novak, but a fight for the whole world.”
In fact, even the Serbian President, Aleksander Vucic, voiced his support for Djokovic. He stated that Novak Djokovic was a “victim of harassment”. He assured Novak that all of Serbia supported the player.
Update: Novak Djokovic has been denied entry to Australia after an extraordinary mix-up with his visa application https://t.co/0XCK3TbYlV
— The Times (@thetimes) January 5, 2022
On the other hand, Australian officials remain strict about the situation. Health Minister Greg Hunt described Djokovic’s treatment as “tough but fair”. He stressed how the rules were all similar for everyone under the government.
Do you think it is fair for Novak Djokovic to have his visa cancelled? Or in fact, fair for him to have been granted the exemption in the first place? Let us know in the comments below.
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