COVID-19 and Tennis

[dk4]

IMO it makes Australia look like a absolute backwater on the international stage.

Surely this could have all been sorted this out earlier, well before he even set foot on the plane in Dubai?

IMO this childish bickering/politicking between Canberra & Melbourne is puerile, and a stain on all our reputations, no matter what part of the political spectrum you sit on...

Although, silver-lining, maybe Macron & Morrison can find something common to talk about now, with regard to "pissing off" the unvaccinated! haha

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

So it seems that Djokovic's "medical exemtion" was based on the fact that he claimed virus immunity (and therefore no need to vaccinate) on the basis that he recently had covid.

A report in the Hobart Mercury on-line seems to place Tennis Australia in a bit of a bind, if they gave him an exemtion based on previos infection/immunity (heavily qualification .. if all as reported, although the article does reproduce the actual letters).
Edit - same report now in the Oz on-line


Two letters from the Department of Health sent to Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley have cast doubt over Novak Djokovic’s medical exemption for the Australian Open.

The letters clearly stipulate that players that were unvaccinated but had contracted Covid in the past six months would be denied quarantine-free travel.

The letters were released after Djokovic was denied a visa upon arrival at Melbourne Airport.

The world No 1 touched down at 11pm AEDT Wednesday night and was held under police guard until it was confirmed at 10am AEDT Thursday he would not be granted entry.

According to reports, Djokovic had applied for an exemption based on the fact he had caught the virus in the last six months.

The first letter said: “People who have previously had COVID-19 and not received a vaccine dose are not considered fully vaccinated”.

It adds that these people would “not be approved for quarantine-free entry, regardless of whether they have received foreign vaccination exemptions”.

the same advice was shared in the second latter dated November 29, 2021.

EDIT:

Excerpt from the letter of late November last, from Greg Hunt to the CEO of Tennis Australia:

View attachment 268487

Interesting thought occurred to me - the letters were in November. The new visa holder rules applied from 1 December - according to this report I dug up.

Australia to allow more visa-holders to return as it faces skills shortage in post-Covid recovery

Eligible visa holders include skilled workers, students, refugees as well as working holidaymakers.

www.cnbc.com

 

[Pushka]

IMO it makes Australia look like a absolute backwater on the international stage.

Surely this could have all been sorted this out earlier, well before he even set foot on the plane in Dubai?

IMO this childish bickering/politicking between Canberra & Melbourne is puerile, and a stain on all our reputations, no matter what part of the political spectrum you sit on...

Although, silver-lining, maybe Macron & Morrison can find something common to talk about now, with regard to "pissing off" the unvaccinated! haha

We don’t know if he set foot on the plane knowing that there could be issues on arrival as it seems his paperwork hasn’t been produced. What will be interesting will be any comms from TA advising of the advice received as detailed in the letters above.

Post automatically merged: Jan 6, 2022

Interesting thought occurred to me - the letters were in November. The new visa holder rules applied from 1 December - according to this report I dug up.

Australia to allow more visa-holders to return as it faces skills shortage in post-Covid recovery

Eligible visa holders include skilled workers, students, refugees as well as working holidaymakers.

www.cnbc.com

But again needs to be fully vaccinated or holding the exemption which doesn’t seem to have been forthcoming. I doubt there will be any stain on our reputation as throughout the pandemic Australia has had a clear agenda.

 

[RooFlyer]

IMO it makes Australia look like a absolute backwater on the international stage.
Surely this could have all been sorted this out earlier, well before he even set foot on the plane in Dubai?

If you look at the letter that was sent to TA last November etc and/or the information on the web-site, it appears it was all sorted before, just not the way he wanted it. It looks like the tennis player, maybe with the ?assistance of TA decided to ignore the advice give, privately and publically, and just tried to bluff their way through. Tough.

Its up to the visitor to sort out visas etc prior to coming - not the hosting country.

As for looking like a backwater, well ... I think if you recall the particular individual's behavious over the past few years in respect of the pandemic, vaccination, obeying restrictions etc, AND those who are coming out in support of him, I don't necessarily think it will play badly for the country. YMMV.

 

[Jenya]

IMO it makes Australia look like a absolute backwater on the international stage.

You right, unfortunately(
Ppl overseas just see it as massive fail of 'Australia' as a whole.
They not going to distinguish Federal level that according to letters never gave green light, Victoria state, and Tennis Federation level.
looks like TA new long time before that it's not going to happen, but instigated a wave in media trying to push Federal DHA to allow entry as "its all already happening - world #1 on the way Melbourne"
Simply abuse of authority, arbitrariness and jumping levels by Tennis Australia. They just wanted him and money associated too desperate....
But no regular folk around the globe would listen to this long explanations and read letters.

 

[jakeseven7]

Ppl overseas just see it as massive fail of 'Australia' as a whole.

I think that's a slight generalisation and exaggeration..... My UK family are cheering

 

[Pushka]

I think that's a slight generalisation and exaggeration..... My UK family are cheering

Same here. And given the lack of negative comments in the media I’d suggest the opposite is true. Maybe TA might not come out so squeaky clean though.

 

[MARTINE]

So it seems that Djokovic's "medical exemtion" was based on the fact that he claimed virus immunity (and therefore no need to vaccinate) on the basis that he recently had covid.

A report in the Hobart Mercury on-line seems to place Tennis Australia in a bit of a bind, if they gave him an exemtion based on previos infection/immunity (heavily qualification .. if all as reported, although the article does reproduce the actual letters).
Edit - same report now in the Oz on-line


Two letters from the Department of Health sent to Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley have cast doubt over Novak Djokovic’s medical exemption for the Australian Open.

The letters clearly stipulate that players that were unvaccinated but had contracted Covid in the past six months would be denied quarantine-free travel.

The letters were released after Djokovic was denied a visa upon arrival at Melbourne Airport.

The world No 1 touched down at 11pm AEDT Wednesday night and was held under police guard until it was confirmed at 10am AEDT Thursday he would not be granted entry.

According to reports, Djokovic had applied for an exemption based on the fact he had caught the virus in the last six months.

The first letter said: “People who have previously had COVID-19 and not received a vaccine dose are not considered fully vaccinated”.

It adds that these people would “not be approved for quarantine-free entry, regardless of whether they have received foreign vaccination exemptions”.

the same advice was shared in the second latter dated November 29, 2021.

EDIT:

Excerpt from the letter of late November last, from Greg Hunt to the CEO of Tennis Australia:

View attachment 268487

Seems pretty clear…So why did he get on the plane?
Maybe like turning up to a party you’re not invited to and hoping the hosts will say … ‘well now you’re here…’

 

[jakeseven7]

Same here. And given the lack of negative comments in the media I’d suggest the opposite is true. Maybe TA might not come out so squeaky clean though.

I'm sure they won't but he is hardly the worlds most revered sportsperson - a lot of people don't like what he's done not just recently during the pandemic which was deplorable but over his career in general.

It will actually mean the draw gets a good shake up too. So happy.

Seems pretty clear…So why did he get on the plane?

Because he's a tool... Thought he could blag his way through.... etc etc

Which is why its so satisfying that he's been told to go jump.

 

[RooFlyer]

IMO it makes Australia look like a absolute backwater on the international stage.

Ppl overseas just see it as massive fail of 'Australia' as a whole.

SHOCK! Europe for instance will see Australia enforcing its border entry rules; so yes, they wouldn't want to go anywhere near there In fact, most other governments will be embarrassed that Australia can and does do it, whilst they mostly can't. Bad Australia - what a bunch of hicks.

Maybe TA might not come out so squeaky clean though.

Another SHOCK! Well, not really, given their recent history.

 

[MARTINE]

SHOCK! Europe for instance will see Australia enforcing its border entry rules; so yes, they wouldn't want to go anywhere near there In fact, most other governments will be embarrassed that Australia can and does do it, whilst they mostly can't. Bad Australia - what a bunch of hicks.

Europe and limiting access for non residents - stones and glass houses come to mind

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

If you look at the letter that was sent to TA last November etc and/or the information on the web-site, it appears it was all sorted before, just not the way he wanted it. It looks like the tennis player, maybe with the ?assistance of TA decided to ignore the advice give, privately and publically, and just tried to bluff their way through. Tough.

Its up to the visitor to sort out visas etc prior to coming - not the hosting country.

As for looking like a backwater, well ... I think if you recall the particular individual's behavious over the past few years in respect of the pandemic, vaccination, obeying restrictions etc, AND those who are coming out in support of him, I don't necessarily think it will play badly for the country. YMMV.

There is also on-court behaviour (eg disqualification for injuring a linesperson).

 

[oz_mark]

It's all good, he has found another tournament,

The Manus Island Open is thrilled to announce wild card entrant Novak Djokovic — The Shovel

“We’re expecting he’ll be spending quite a bit of time here"

www.theshovel.com.au

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I think entry to the tournament is separate from entry to Australia. Tennis Australia has no authority over border law.

Given the medical panels assessed applicants 'blind', did they know they were only considering international requests for exemption? Or could they have been considering an Aussie resident player wanting to take part? If they knew it was international, they were prolly wasting their time.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

I think entry to the tournament is separate from entry to Australia. Tennis Australia has no authority over border law.

Given the medical panels assessed applicants 'blind', did they know they were only considering international requests for exemption? Or could they have been considering an Aussie resident player wanting to take part? If they knew it was international, they were prolly wasting their time.

Not sure that is accurate - because apparently other international unvaccinated tennis players got an exemption and are in Australia already. I guess its a case of drawing attention to yourself then Border Force will have a closer look.

 

[MARTINE]

Not sure that is accurate - because apparently other international unvaccinated tennis players got an exemption and are in Australia already. I guess its a case of drawing attention to yourself then Border Force will have a closer look.

… Katie Hopkins got in and then….

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

… Katie Hopkins got in and then….

Is that a case of not abiding by the 'not be disruptive" or similar type of condition on most visas?

 

[SeatBackForward]

Not sure that is accurate - because apparently other international unvaccinated tennis players got an exemption and are in Australia already. I guess its a case of drawing attention to yourself then Border Force will have a closer look.

Most likely these other exemption requests actually gave a valid and accepted reason beyond "I already had Covid, and therefore I have natural immunity"

Just reading that another two exemptions are being reviewed by Border Force.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Most likely these other exemption requests actually gave a valid and accepted reason beyond "I already had Covid, and therefore I have natural immunity"

Just reading that another two exemptions are being reviewed by Border Force.

More wildcard or lucky loser places lol

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Courtesy of 9news

Djokovic's hearing adjourned to 6pm

Novak Djokovic's hearing in the Federal Court has been adjourned to 6pm.
Judge A Kelly "emphasised without criticism" that he had not been able to make a ruling on Djokovic's application because the documents had not reached him since the court was adjourned earlier in the afternoon.
The court heard Tennis Australia would need to know by Tuesday if Djokovic can play at the Australian Open, to which the Judge responded, "The tail won't be wagging the dog here".
It is likely Djokovic will remain in Australia overnight.
He has been sent to a hotel used to hold refugees.