Aussie Officials Cancel Novak Djokovic, World's #1 Tennis Star in Detention as Unvaxxed Can't Go to Work or Exercise

Steve Warren
01-07-2022

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Australian officials are facing backlash after banning the number 1 men's tennis player in the world from playing in the Australian Open and locking him up in an immigration detention hotel. 

Government officials had initially given Novak Djokovic, a vocal skeptic of vaccines who has refused to say if he got the COVID-19 shot, an exemption to the country's stringent vaccine rules. At first, they said he would be able to participate in the Australian Open tennis tournament. 

But when Djokovic's airplane landed in Melbourne, his visa was canceled and he's being held in a detention hotel while he fights the decision. 

Even though 92% of the eligible population is fully vaccinated in Melbourne, COVID cases are still rising. The city reported 21,728 new cases on Friday, in addition to six deaths and an increase in hospitalizations. 

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Australia has incorporated some of the world's most stringent measures since the COVID-19 pandemic began. 

In 2020 and 2021, Melbourne residents spent 256 days under severe lockdowns, restricting their movements and gatherings.

The process that led to the original decision to grant Djokovic an exemption now is under scrutiny. Tennis Australia insists the exemption was granted by an independent panel of medical experts, unaware of whose applications they were assessing.

The cases of two other Australian Open players who also received health-based vaccine exemptions are currently being closely examined.

But many Australians, including some journalists, have agreed with the local government's decision to deny entry to Djokovic. 

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who had not initially objected to the decision of Tennis Australia and the Victoria state government to grant Djokovic an exemption, quickly agreed with the move by the federal Border Force to deny him entry.
 
"Mr. Djokovic's visa has been canceled. Rules are rules, especially when it comes to our borders. No one is above these rules," Morrison tweeted. "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."

Treated Like a Criminal

But many in the tennis player's home country of Serbia, say it's an affront to the Serbian people, including Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Djokovic's father. 

"You, famous Prime Minister (Morrison) of the faraway naturally beautiful country, are behaving according to your own principles, which have nothing to do with us and our principles," Djokovic's father Srdan told reporters. "We are humans, and you, sir, are not."

Djokovic has been left to wait out the court process at a Melbourne hotel that also houses refugees and asylum-seekers who have been transferred from Australia's off-shore detention centers. In October, a COVID-19 outbreak at the hotel infected about half of the 46 asylum-seekers then being held there.

Djokovic's brother Djordje said the tennis star had been taken "to a dirty room without any belongings."

"He was treated like a criminal, while he is a healthy and decent man and a sportsman who has not endangered anyone's life and has not committed any federal or legal offense," Djordje added.

Fox News reported the tennis star remained at the hotel Friday, which is observed by Serbian Orthodox Church as Christmas Day. The church still uses the Julian calendar which means Christmas Eve is Jan. 6 and Christmas Day is Jan. 7.

Djokovic is a member of the church and in 2011 received the highest award from the church for his charity work, according to the outlet. 

In a statement posted to his Instagram account, he said, "Thank you to people around the world for your continuous support. I can feel it and it is greatly appreciated."

On social media, some blamed Australia's politicians for the tennis star's predicament. 

"Just to be crystal clear here. 2 separate medical boards approved his exemption. And politicians are stopping it. Australia doesn't deserve to host a grand slam," two-time quarterfinalist Tennys Sandgren of the United States, who is not playing the Australian Open because of the vaccination requirement, said on Twitter.

"He played by the rules, he got his exemption, he's a nine-time champion, whether people like it or not he's entitled to fair play. He doesn't make the rules. He deserves his day on court, not in court in my opinion," said Paul McNamee, who was the Australian Open tournament director for 12 years.

Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro tweeted how ridiculous it was to force one of the healthiest people on the planet to take the vaccine in order to play in the Open. 

"Vaccination will not stop the spread of omicron. It prevents hospitalization and death, particularly in those who are elderly and immunocompromised. So forcing Novak Djokovic, literally one of the healthiest people on the planet, to vaxx to play in the Aussie Open, is ridiculous."

Severe New Lockdowns: Unvaccinated Not Allowed to Work or Exercise

Meanwhile, The Evening Standard newspaper reported Wednesday that unvaccinated citizens in one Australian state would face a four-day lockdown after a surge in COVID infections. Those people who have not had two vaccine doses will not be able to leave their homes under strict conditions. 

Others called out Australia's government over their draconian measures to try to stop the virus's spread. One user likened it to a page from the country's history. "From the prison colony once known as Australia, strict lockdown and required home isolation for the unvaccinated," he tweeted. 

The group RiseMelbourne tweeted their discontent over the new measures, writing: "The Insanity Continues  So it begins...Aus gets the UNWAXXED lockdown. UNWAXXED have ONLY 3 reasons to leave home, Essential Shopping, Medical Treatment or Care Giving...No WORK, no EXERCISE nothing...Welcome to Full Bore Covid1984 people, it's time to Rise."

And Donald Trump, Jr., warned that Democrats in the U.S. could attempt to enforce the same rules against the unvaccinated here. 

"WTF is wrong with these people?" he tweeted. "This is clearly the track Democrats will take America drown if we let them. Don't let them Australia our America!"

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About The Author

Steve Warren is a senior multimedia producer for CBN News. Warren has worked in the news departments of television stations and cable networks across the country. In addition, he also worked as a producer-director in television production and on-air promotion. A Civil War historian, he authored the book The Second Battle of Cabin Creek: Brilliant Victory. It was the companion book to the television documentary titled Last Raid at Cabin Creek currently streaming on Amazon Prime. He holds an M.A. in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma and a B.A. in Communication from the University of
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