The plot gets thicker.

If the date is a lie then that will affect him in a bad way as far as getting into the country. Not just this time either, surely?

If the date is true and he went to a large event with kids in attendance when he knew he was positive… then what an utter tragedy of a man he is. If anyone says “but kids don’t get ill” then they are entirely missing the point.

Seems to be a bit of a no-win situation for Novak’s PR team.

This whole thing stinks! Why do I have a feeling that he’ll be allowed in due to it being politicised by his parents and hangers on.
If this was Joe Public they’d be on a plane home by now.

If he is allowed in it could be entertaining though, he is likely to be so loudly booed and heckled then, given his previous form, a full on court meltdown could ensue. Which I’ll admit I would quite enjoy!

So What I don’t understand is, if he hadn’t conveniently got covid a few weeks ago, what was his plan for the Australian open? Was he not going to bother?
Then, realising he could now get in on an exemption thought “oh well I might as well go then….along with my massive entourage”. Did they already have all the flights and hotels booked on the off chance?
And I’m no tennis expert, but don’t players train to peak for important times of the year….like a grand slam, for instance?

And does this mean he’ll need to catch covid 2 weeks out from each grand slam or I’m guessing other countries entry restrictions are less restrictive? What happens if there is no wave for the next Australian open will he be jetting around trying to find someone to infect him?

I still get this horrible feeling he is going to get away with it and end up playing. Just hope I’m wrong

If this was Joe Public they’d be on a plane home by now.

He could be if he wanted to as well but chose to challenge in court same as anyone else could do – he is stuck in the quarantine unit not detained – he can leave at any time

 if he hadn’t conveniently got covid a few weeks ago

Assuming he actually has it and he hasn’t just conveniently failed a test.  It all feels a bit Lance/UCI which no-one really has a taste for any more

I don’t think Novak has done anything wrong.
He was allowed to compete by the organisers because he’d had Covid previously. The Government originally said it was up to the organisers and the State to decide if he could play. They say yes it’s fine. He then travels to Australia, all hell then kicks off. Government then says nothing to do with us, Organisers then throw him under the Bus once the publicity gets a bit feisty.

They could have just said No you can’t compete unless you have had the vaccine.

The organisers also said anyone applying for exemption had to apply by 10th December, which he can’t have done.

I know it’s deeply cynical, but I can’t help thinking that the +ve test is someone else’s.

I too suspect he’s going to get away with it.

He claimed medical exemption but did not have the necessary paperwork for it so was refused entry

I don’t think Novak has done anything wrong.

No issues with going to a big public event the day after testing positive?

I don’t think Novak has done anything wrong.

Except being an anti-vaxxer.

I was talking about travelling and competing in the tournament as well you know. Not getting vaccinated is a separate issue. If he has fixed his Covid test we’ll never know. The organisers of the tournament wanted him to play, he’s a big draw. As soon as things hot up they change their tune. It’s a big mess of their own making.

I don’t think the organisers have changed their minds have they? I’m sure if he gets the separate visa issue sorted out, they let him play. This seems to be the crux of the problem, the mix up over different permissions needed to enter the tournament and the country!

And the state, apparently.

+1

Just because my mate Dietmar invites me over to ski the Fichtelgebirge next weekend, doesn’t mean I dont need to sort out jabs docs and faff to actually get into Germany in the first place.

“The Exemption Certificate also recorded that … the date of the first positive COVID PCR test was recorded on 16 December 2021, it had now been 14 days, and Mr Djokovic had not had a fever or respiratory symptoms of COVID-19 in the last 72 hours.”

He didn’t travel to Australia for two weeks did he? It wasn’t the day after. The exemption certificate was from the event organisers to compete in the tournament. You may not agree with the sentiment behind his actions or his anti vax stance but I don’t think he’s done anything illegal regarding competing.

Im sure the lawyers will sort it out one way or another.

He didn’t travel to Australia for two weeks did he? It wasn’t the day after

No but apparently he did go to an award ceremony for children at the Novak Tennis Center the day after testing positive

He did and that’s irresponsible. Nothing to do with the Australian open though is it. If this is a thread about everything wrong with Novak then fair enough. I could go on at length about his tennis shenanigans but maybe that is for a different thread.

I could go on at length about his tennis shenanigans but maybe that is for a different thread.

No this is definitely the thread for it.

*leans forward*

He did and that’s irresponsible. Nothing to do with the Australian open though is it.

Calls into question if his version of events is truthful at least.

Is it really his test?

Was he ‘planning’ this loophole to enable him to go to Australia – how do you plan to get Covid in a controlled way?

I understand his rationale, don’t agree with it though. But, if that is his belief he should stand by it and say he’s not going to play in Australia as a consequence.

He needed to have applied for his exemption by the 10th but didn’t (alledgedly) test positive until the 16th, same day he went to a big, indoor maskless do for a stamp unveiling and, as noted elsewhere, the day before attending a child-based maskless indoor super-spreader event.

He didn’t travel to Australia for two weeks did he? It wasn’t the day after. The exemption certificate was from the event organisers to compete in the tournament. You may not agree with the sentiment behind his actions or his anti vax stance but I don’t think he’s done anything illegal regarding competing.

But as has already been pointed out, he couldn’t have applied for the exemption certificate by the cut off date because he didn’t know he was going to test positive*

And he couldn’t have booked the flights and hotels for himself and his entourage before then, because he didn’t know he was going to test positive*

And he can’t have got his training plan organised to peak for the Open that he knew he couldn’t enter as he couldn’t get an exemption unless he tested positive*

*or he is actually fully jabbed and doesn’t want any of his anti-vaxx mates to find out.

Will the legal scrap relate solely to procedural errors over the visa, or is anyone going to point out the three blatant lies obvious discrepancies in his story?

I could go on at length about his tennis shenanigans but maybe that is for a different thread.

No this is definitely the thread for it.

*leans forward*

Agreed.
Go for it.

But as has already been pointed out, he couldn’t have applied for the exemption certificate by the cut off date because he didn’t know he was going to test positive*

And he couldn’t have booked the flights and hotels for himself and his entourage before then, because he didn’t know he was going to test positive*

And he can’t have got his training plan organised to peak for the Open that he knew he couldn’t enter as he couldn’t get an exemption unless he tested positive*

And I can’t understand why the press aren’t asking these questions. (Maybe they are but I’ve not seen it anywhere)

upload

Damn, there goes my exclusive world beating investigative journalism.

Damn, there goes my exclusive world beating investigative journalism.

Columbo’s got nothing on you MCTD. 😁

Isn’t the problem that, only nationals are allowed to enter Australia without being fully vaccinated but having had covid?

I thought non nationals needed to be fully vaccinated to enter Australia or medically exempt… and Novak’s neither.

Might be wrong but swear I read that somewhere at some point 😊

I read that too

Damn, there goes my exclusive world beating investigative journalism.

Yours??! You referenced my post, so it’s my world-beating investgation 😂

🤣

“The only for me clear thing is if you are vaccinated, you can play in the Australian Open and everywhere, and the world in my opinion have been suffering enough to not follow the rules.”

Quote by Rafael Nadal.

If he did indeed have COVID recently wouldn’t a test for antibodies prove if he’s taking the p?

Wasn’t he talking about an exemption long before the 16th December?

I get the impression he’s a “don’t you know who I ?” type with too much money and ego.

I really hope they send him packing – my cousin and other Ozzies aren’t too impressed especially with all they’ve had to put up with during COVID.

Unfortunately he has won his appeal

On proceedural issue as oppose to him being correct it seems.

Be worth turning in for his first game on court….. Suspect he might be in for a tough crowd.

Not surprised. I don’t normally like booing competitors but on this occasion I think the locals will be justified if they do.

Just heard that the immigration minister still has powers to cancel a visa so even if the judge revoked the cancellation that can still happen. No guarantee he’ll make the first game but if he does he’ll go down like a fart in a drysuit.