{"id":45262,"date":"2022-01-14T09:55:49","date_gmt":"2022-01-14T14:55:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/?p=45262"},"modified":"2022-01-14T12:19:00","modified_gmt":"2022-01-14T17:19:00","slug":"novak-djokovic-visa-exemption-public","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2022\/01\/14\/novak-djokovic-visa-exemption-public\/","title":{"rendered":"Novak Djokovic&#8217;s Visa Troubles Began When He Made The Exemption Public"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The last two weeks have been extra ordinary in terms of off the court drama in tennis. <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2022\/01\/14\/novak-djokovic-deported-miss-australian-open\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">The Australian Government gave its verdict<\/a> on the ongoing visa saga concerning Novak Djokovic. They <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2022\/01\/05\/novak-djokovic-visa-miss-australian-open\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">canceled his visa<\/a> a second time late evening Australian time on Friday. We wonder whether Djokovic would find himself in the same position had he not made it known to the public that he&#8217;s heading to Australia with a medical exemption.<\/p>\n<h2>Novak Djokovic Visa Saga<\/h2>\n<h4>The Beginning<\/h4>\n<p>On 4th January, Djokovic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CYTe9fer_1K\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">posted on Instagram<\/a> revealing he&#8217;s headed to Australian Open 2022 with an exemption.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CYTe9fer_1K\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CYTe9fer_1K\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> <\/p>\n<div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CYTe9fer_1K\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">A post shared by Novak Djokovic (@djokernole)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Many, myself included, were surprised at the late decision to grant him the exemption but at a place where he&#8217;s the 9 time champion, it couldn&#8217;t have completely been ruled out. After all, tournament director Craig Tiley is on record <a href=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/news\/2021-12-09\/novak-djokovic-vaccine-medical-exemption\/100685830\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">saying any player who wishes to participate will have to be vaccinated or get an exemption<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Hence Djokovic&#8217;s exemption enabled him to participate despite being unvaccinated. The exemption was not granted easily but the independent panel saw it fit to give Djokovic one. So far so good for the Serb.<\/p>\n<h4>The Exemption<\/h4>\n<p>Perhaps what Djokovic didn&#8217;t foresee is that his immense popularity could backfire. While not many would&#8217;ve cared if the 150th ranked player was allowed with an exemption, people do care if it&#8217;s the No. 1 ranked player. Australians even more so. Australia has enforced very strict lockdowns and vaccine mandates right since the start of the pandemic and the exemption was a slap in the face to those who&#8217;d endured the worst of the pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>Tiley too failed to predict the huge backlash the exemption was going to create. While the exemption was granted following all guidelines set by the Australian authorities, the government wasn&#8217;t very keen on a global athlete using it. Perhaps that&#8217;s fair because the exemption is primarily for those who have acute health conditions preventing them from taking the vaccine. Djokovic certainly didn&#8217;t have one.<\/p>\n<h4>The Downward Spiral<\/h4>\n<p>Djokovic landed in Melbourne only to find that the Border Police wouldn&#8217;t let him enter. Visa rules had changed since it was granted and his exemption was not valid. We still didn&#8217;t know at the time the reason for his exemption. Tiley too gave Djokovic the discretion to reveal the reason for his exemption. The Australian PM jumped at this situation reinforcing his strong stance on Covid.<\/p>\n<p>As soon as Djokovic challenged the decision to revoke his visa, the downward spiral began for the Serb. All documents were in the public sphere, and coupled with Djokovic&#8217;s social media, the Serb was cornered. Even though he did win the initial appeal to reinstate his visa (which, in my opinion, was the right thing to do at the time since Djokovic certainly didn&#8217;t deserve to be treated the way he was), letting him play was going to be another matter altogether.<\/p>\n<p>The reason for the exemption was a Covid infection on 16th December but it didn&#8217;t take long for people to discover the Serb was outside after the positive test result. Djokovic didn&#8217;t help his cause at all by issuing a statement stating he did give an interview being Covid positive. That was it for the Serb. No matter how much he pleaded, that was a clear breach of COVID protocols in any country.<\/p>\n<h4>Alternate Reality<\/h4>\n<p>What if Djokovic didn&#8217;t make it public that he&#8217;d received an exemption? Would the Australian public have reacted in the same way? The government and authorities would&#8217;ve known about it, and their stance wouldn&#8217;t have changed, but the latest decision in cancelling Djokovic&#8217;s Visa very much stated that <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BenRothenberg\/status\/1481882690140131328?t=R64EVqKUEem0L6ujmA9kAA&amp;s=08\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">it was in the public interest to do so<\/a>. That&#8217;s public sentiment at play here.<\/p>\n<p>In all fairness, we would&#8217;ve known he&#8217;d received an exemption as soon as he appealed, but my guess is as good as yours whether the Border Police would have canceled his visa in the first place.<\/p>\n<p>Lots of factors were in play there, including Tennis Australia guidelines, Victorian state guidelines, and the federal government rules. To sift through that is a herculean task and one which the likes of great tennis players like Djokovic shouldn&#8217;t have to. How to keep doing the things you&#8217;re the best at and you love? <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2022\/01\/12\/novak-djokovic-idiotic-decisions\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Get vaccinated<\/a> and save yourself and others, or risk staying home.<\/p>\n<p><em>Main Photo from Getty.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The last two weeks have been extra ordinary in terms of off the court drama in tennis. The Australian Government gave its verdict on the ongoing visa saga concerning Novak Djokovic. They canceled his visa a second time late evening Australian time on Friday. We wonder whether Djokovic would find himself in the same position [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3075,"featured_media":44786,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,7,2,9,15913],"tags":[16913,17173,9870,22,17174,2524,17170,17175],"class_list":["post-45262","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-atp","category-australian-open","category-featured","category-news","category-opinion","tag-2022-australian-open","tag-alex-hawke","tag-craig-tiley","tag-novak-djokovic","tag-novak-djokovic-australia","tag-novak-djokovic-australian-open","tag-novak-djokovic-deported","tag-novak-djokovic-visa"],"modified_by":"Yesh Ginsburg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45262","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3075"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45262"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45262\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44786"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45262"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45262"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45262"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}