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If you’ve ever thought that conditions are the same in sports, the events are in the last 24 hours Melbourne show that this is a hollow joke.
Forget about equal opportunities at the highest level. If you’re a guaranteed winner, a draw at the box office, a current champion – adored by sponsors and advertisers – is your obvious favoritism and special treatment.
Australia is currently battling the latest wave of Covid with record infections (nearly 300,000 in Christmas period) and an inclined prime minister who has just made the stupid decision to continue charging $ 10 AU for rapid antigen tests at home (which the UK has been giving away for free since last April) – saying that “we can’t go around doing all for free. ‘
So health doesn’t matter if you’re poor?
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has so many times changed views on wearing masks, social distancing and border control, no wonder long-held Australians are fed up to the last tooth.
If you ever thought that the conditions were the same in sports, the events of the last 24 hours in Melbourne show that this is a hollow joke, writes JANET STREET-PORTER. There is one rule for Novak Djokovic (pictured) – and another rule for ordinary mortals
Recall that more than 40,000 Australian citizens have not been able to return home since March 2020 as the Prime Minister kept the borders firmly closed.
Many have watched loved ones die from abroad who have been forced to attend funerals via zoom. Families were divided into two parts, and workers and students got stuck abroad and ran out of money.
Then, last November, entry requirements were relaxed a bit so that citizens could return, and a limited list of foreign experts was also allowed to enter if they were blown twice and tested negative.
Although, ridiculously, many foreign stars and movie stars had managed to enter Australia many months earlier – among them Rita Ora, Matt Damon, Idris Elba, Zac Efron, Ed Sheeran, Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts.
Some have filmed or appeared on television – a key rescue job, as I’m sure you’ll agree, but there’s no consolation to those smaller citizens stranded miles from home.
On the other hand, the reigning world tennis champion, a man who has won 20 Grand Slam and Australian Open tournaments in the last three years – is not only a “special” sports god, he also has exceptional ability to move around the world in a pandemic.
There is one rule for Novak Djokovic – and another for ordinary mortals.
As I write, Djokovic is sitting in a room at Melbourne Airport, detained by border agents during a farce surrounding his permission to compete in the Australian Open (starting on January 17).
As I write, Djokovic is sitting in a room at Melbourne Airport, detained by border agents during a farce surrounding his permission to compete in the Australian Open (starting on January 17).
Earlier this week, a major controversy erupted when it emerged that two independent groups of doctors had granted him a “medical exemption”, which allowed him to avoid strict conditions requiring all players, workers and spectators involved in the event, double vaccinated.
Foreign players are not only required to provide proof of vaccination, but must undergo a PCR test on arrival and remain in isolation until a negative result is obtained.
We were told that 26 players requested medical exemptions – usually only for individuals who have suffered an adverse reaction to vaccines or have serious health problems or recent surgery.
An even smaller handful – including Djokovic – have been given permission.
According to tennis legend Rod Laver, Djokovic is obviously super fit – so on what basis did he manage to secure the right to play?
From the moment I first saw him on the number one court at Wimbledon almost ten years ago, I have been a big fan.
Of course he is in a good mood, temperamental and cheerful. But these are his irritating personality traits, not his tennis abilities.
When in shape, Novak is the most magical creature you will ever see on a tennis court.
I have been playing tennis since I was 12 and have been training for years, but I will never have a millionth of his natural talent.
And so, even though Djokovic is an irritating jerk at times, I appreciate his hard work and uniform brilliance.
But one aspect of his tortured personality is troubling – his resolute refusal to say what his views are on Covid and vaccination.
Back in June 2020, when the pandemic was still in its early stages, Đoković hosted a tennis tournament in the Balkans with exhibition matches in his native Serbia and Croatia.
There was absolutely no social distancing and the competitors did not have to take tests.
After a test of one player – Dimitrova, was positive, Djokovic flew home to Monaco without being tested – and set a gruesome example for the younger players – although he later apologized.
JANET STREET-PORTER: Australia needs to show some courage and steer this giant to the door
His wife, coach and top three players were then positive after the event, which proved to be very widespread.
This was at a time when tennis players in the top 50 in the world were really fighting for money as tournaments around the world were canceled.
There are consistent rumors that some players would provide negative tests obtained by dubious means to play and not lose income.
Either way, there will be some cheating in every sport.
Djokovic has spoken out against vaccination and what he calls ‘extreme precautions’ against covid in 2020, saying it is a private matter for individuals – which is why critics have called it Novaxx Djocovid.
This week, after being granted medical exemption (for whatever reason), Djokovic and his team boarded a flight from Dubai to Melbourne.
Upon arrival, border police officers discovered that he had applied for the wrong type of work visa, which allegedly did not allow for medical exemptions.
And that’s why the world’s first tennis player sits in a room at Melbourne Airport and waits to hear if more rules will be followed to allow him to enter a city that has spent more days in jail than any other since Covid returned in March 2020.
During this time, Djokovic lived in luxury in Monte Carlo, played in tournaments whenever allowed, and remained silent about whether he had ever been vaccinated.
Melbourne residents have spent most of the last two years shopping, working, walking in the park, traveling to other Australian states and even playing tennis for fun.
Not surprisingly, the decision to grant the millionaire superstar an exemption fell like the proverbial cup of the Cold Down Under.
Is Tennis Australia so desperate that they think spectators won’t watch if the Serb doesn’t play? After all, Rafael Nadal, who also won 20 grand slam tournaments, quietly arrived in the country that day and is preparing for the competition.
Scott Morrison told reporters that Djokovic should not receive special treatment and that he will be taken home on the first plane if he does not have all his papers in order. We’ll see. Pictured: Tennis star after winning the 2021 Open
The event will survive and flourish without world number 1, even if sponsors threaten with the usual threats.
The organizers are always talking about how important it is to attract young people from all ethnic backgrounds to the game – and they have started to be successful.
That is why they have to stand above Đoković because he does not set an example for anyone, except to prove that he is worthy of ‘special’ treatment.
Scott Morrison told reporters that Djokovic should not receive special treatment and that he will be taken home on the first plane if he does not have all his papers in order. We’ll see.
Anti-vaxers in Australia are loud and screaming people trying to shut down the country. Despite their best efforts, 90% of people over the age of 16 received two strokes,
But there is a hard core of older people who are still resilient and Djokivic is their poster. And now his father is angrily urging fans to take to the streets, claiming it is a fight for ‘free rights’.
Australia needs to show some courage and steer this diva to the door.
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