The Tennis Thread

[Grumpy David]

Earlier this week, Australian Open chief Craig Tiley said that some unvaccinated players had been granted exemptions to play in the year's first Grand Slam.

Applications for medical exemptions are being assessed anonymously by two separate panels, with inflammatory cardiac illness or another acute condition listed as valid reasons.

But it is also possible Djokovic has recently tested positive for the virus, which would allow him to defer taking the vaccine.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/59865959

At best, it's a recent infection he's kept quiet about, but most likely he's just getting special treatment.

[Denster]

Im his biggest fan but it looks like the Aussies have caved there.

[captain red dog]

Very uncomfortable that the onus seems to be on Djokovic making his personal medical information public, which is what exemptions are supposed to avoid. I genuinely don't believe he will be given an exemption based on star power, it hasn't stopped Australia from cancelling some very lucrative events over the last year, or preventing other celebrities from circumventing the rules.

Daniel Riccardo for example has spoken about how he has to abide by the 14 day quarantine to return home for the winter.

[Drumstick]

He doesn't need to make it public - he just needs to present the evidence to organisers.

I do however think that they should be treating other athletes competing under exemptions similarly.

[Memento Mori]

Very uncomfortable that the onus seems to be on Djokovic making his personal medical information public, which is what exemptions are supposed to avoid. I genuinely don't believe he will be given an exemption based on star power, it hasn't stopped Australia from cancelling some very lucrative events over the last year, or preventing other celebrities from circumventing the rules.

Daniel Riccardo for example has spoken about how he has to abide by the 14 day quarantine to return home for the winter.

The tennis world number 1 is more famous than Daniel Ricciardo who's fading within his own sport.

[Memento Mori]

Breaking News: Australia's revoked Novax's visa. He's flying out again.

What a shame.

[Cuttooth]

Mori can we get a Thick of It Peter Mannion laughing gif for this news?

[Memento Mori]

Mori can we get a Thick of It Peter Mannion laughing gif for this news?

His lawyers are trying to appeal.

[Tineash]

All he had to do was just shut up & get jabbed

[Denster]

Id still expect this to be overturned.

[Mommy Christmas]

Id still expect this to be overturned.

Of course, they've let 3 players in already on the same grounds so a precedent has been set.

[Denster]

Isnt it a technicality? They didn't declare his exemption status on the visa application.

I'll be very surprised if it isnt overturned.

[Tomous]

Id still expect this to be overturned.

Of course, they've let 3 players in already on the same grounds so a precedent has been set.

They let 3 players in on the same visa, not necessarily the same grounds. Entirely possible (and likely to be honest) they demonstrated sufficient medical exemption evidence.

Them being let in with genuine reasons isn't really relevant to Djokovic who's trying to bend the rules because he is an antivaxx idiot.

[captain red dog]

Very uncomfortable that the onus seems to be on Djokovic making his personal medical information public, which is what exemptions are supposed to avoid. I genuinely don't believe he will be given an exemption based on star power, it hasn't stopped Australia from cancelling some very lucrative events over the last year, or preventing other celebrities from circumventing the rules.

Daniel Riccardo for example has spoken about how he has to abide by the 14 day quarantine to return home for the winter.

The tennis world number 1 is more famous than Daniel Ricciardo who's fading within his own sport.

Hmm maybe not in Australia though. To be fair to Danny Ric, it's too early in his career to say he is fading.

This is really weird. He got an exemption in Victoria but the national government say he isn't exempt, or rather they are saying he has a visa issue.

This is important ironically for people with disabilities or conditions that would make them exempt. We can all be sceptical that he is playing the system, but in all likelihood he probably tested positive within the last 3 months and can't get a vaccine even if he wanted to. On that basis, I don't think it's legal to ban him despite not wanting to be vaxxed.

[Memento Mori]

His exemption is that he apparently had covid in the last 6 months. The federal government told the Australian tennis board in advance that didn't classify as an exemption. Tennis board seems to have ignored government advice.

[Tomous]

I wonder if the Tennis board just hoped the government would let him in to avoid the bad press.

If so, that has failed spectacularly

[captain red dog]

His exemption is that he apparently had covid in the last 6 months. The federal government told the Australian tennis board in advance that didn't classify as an exemption. Tennis board seems to have ignored government advice.

I guess it depends on what is advice and what is law for an exemption. Its astonishing the Aussies have made such a hash of it. Its not exactly an unforseen scenario.

Either the law around exemption is 3 months since a positive test, or 6 months and Djokovic either meets the requirement or not. It really should not have led to anyone being detained. That's a huge failing of the system.

[Memento Mori]

The law seems clear from the Australian government side (two vaccinations to get in without quarantine) but the Tennis board decided to ignore it because they wanted the world number 1 playing.

Novak could have still got in as an unvaccinated person if he'd agreed to quarantine for 7 days in advance.

[Moggy]

Stick him in quarantine and get Barnaby Joyce to threaten to euthanise him unless he apologises.

[Tomous]

His exemption is that he apparently had covid in the last 6 months. The federal government told the Australian tennis board in advance that didn't classify as an exemption. Tennis board seems to have ignored government advice.

I guess it depends on what is advice and what is law for an exemption. Its astonishing the Aussies have made such a hash of it. Its not exactly an unforseen scenario.

Either the law around exemption is 3 months since a positive test, or 6 months and Djokovic either meets the requirement or not. It really should not have led to anyone being detained. That's a huge failing of the system.

If it true that entry requirements don't count covid in the last 6 months as a genuine exemption, the system hasn't failed, Djokovic has failed. The onus is on him to ensure he complies with visa entry requirements. If he turns up and doesn't meet the necessary requirements for entry that is entirely on him. This was entirely foreseeable, blatantly he arrogantly assumed they'd let him in because he is such a big star.

Novak could have still got in as an unvaccinated person if he'd agreed to quarantine for 7 days in advance.

Seems the rules are clear and he just wanted to ignore them.