Tennis 2022

[Rajma]

Noted. All of that in my opinion warrants recommendation of the vaccine, but mandating is too far. Especially mandating it from foreign citizens. Exemption is also BS - be it medical or religious - can't be proven.
I think Djokovic is hated because of the message he is trying to send and that message is that vaccines should be a personal choice, not mandated by authorities. If he cheated the exemption, he could have easily cheated vaccination record.

Exactly, I know first hand a few cases that have managed to obtain vaccination certificates by faking a vaccination event when at the pharmacy vaccination room for around 200-500EUR. Someone with Djokovic wealth could have easily done that long time ago had he really wanted to cheat. I think people are just coming from their already made perceptions. I was one of the first ones to get vaccinated despite having had covid before and yet I’m against forced vaccination mandate at this stage of the pandemic. I have convinced plenty to get vaccinated myself but feel that forced nature just alienates people to the extreme and that can’t be healthy for society. Vast majority of people already have the antibodies in Europe and if the remaining people want to risk their health so be it.

 

[Wibble]

Noted. All of that in my opinion warrants recommendation of the vaccine, but mandating is too far. Especially mandating it from foreign citizens. Exemption is also BS - be it medical or religious - can't be proven.
I think Djokovic is hated because of the message he is trying to send and that message is that vaccines should be a personal choice, not mandated by authorities. If he cheated the exemption, he could have easily cheated vaccination record.

Almost every country in the world is mandating vaccinations for foreign nationals to be allowed in. Which is very sensible and reasonable.

We all know he doesn't have any reason not to be vaccinated. It is an utter disgrace and I hope there is a huge boycott of the open. A bullshit exemption for the rich and famous is causing outrage here.

 

[ExoduS]

Almost every country in the world is mandating vaccinations for foreign nationals to be allowed in. Which is very sensible and reasonable.

We all know he doesn't have any reason not to be vaccinated. It is an utter disgrace and I hope there is a huge boycott of the open. A bullshit exemption for the rich and famous is causing outrage here.

I disagree that mandating a fresh vaccine is a sensible and reasonable. Jeremy Chardy had to cancel 1/4 or more of 2021 season due to adverse effect to Pfizer vaccine. Even if Chardy is full of sh1t and his condition is caused by something else, the damage is already done. Some players will get cautious or even scared when it comes to the vaccine.

You are also saying that there is no reason why Djokovic should NOT get vaccinated. Djokovic has a clear history of asthma and gluten allergies. This article is from 2013: https://gulfnews.com/sport/tennis/serbian-doctor--on-how-he-cured-ailing-djokovic-1.1156174 Asthma, as far as I know, counts as acute medical condition, and acute medical condition is enough to get exemption from the vaccine to enter Australia.

I am really struggling to understand why this exemption is so controversial.

 

[Wibble]

I am really struggling to understand why this exemption is so controversial.

Because a) we all know he has no valuud reason not to be vaccinated, b) he is getting treatment Australians and others aren't simply because he is rich and famous.

feck him and feck the Australian open.

 

[ExoduS]

Because a) we all know he has no valuud reason not to be vaccinated, b) he is getting treatment Australians and others aren't simply because he is rich and famous.

feck him and feck the Australian open.

So are you saying that he faked asthma back in his early days in order to get exemption a decade later? I see you are a bit angry, but I don't think grounds for your anger is solid. The evidence is on the side that he has a condition or conditions that do qualify him for a vaccine exemption. It has nothing to do with him being reach and famous.

He is not the only player who got the exemption, he is just the highest profile player that got it.

 

[Wibble]

So are you saying that he faked asthma back in his early days in order to get exemption a decade later? I see you are a bit angry, but I don't think grounds for your anger is solid. The evidence is on the side that he has a condition or conditions that do qualify him for a vaccine exemption. It has nothing to do with him being reach and famous.

He is not the only player who got the exemption, he is just the highest profile player that got it.

Did he have asthma? Some natropath quack wondering if he had asthma from watching him on TV doesn't mean he had asthma. In any cases asthma is no reason to get a medical exemptions anyway.

https://asthma.org.au/covid-19-vaccine-and-asthma/#:~:text=Rest assured, currently there are,of doses already administered globally.

Who else got an exemptions? Not that it matters as I don't think there even should be medical exemptions for foreign players for something as inconsequential as a tennis tournament.

I hope the current outrage remains until the tournament starts.

 

[frostbite]

Worse decision ever. I hope they find a way to ban Djokovic from the australian open. Either way, he is a fecking moron.

(It's irrelevant, but I have a good friend who has asthma and she had the vaccines and the booster. Who says that people with asthma should not be vaccinated? )

 

[Mrs Smoker]

I believe in 21.

 

[Berbasbullet]

It’s a big deal (especially in Australia) because they have been in large lockdowns and think it’s a disgrace because they’re being treated like second class citizens to Novax. Also, many Australians have been stuck overseas and not been allowed to be back into the country pre vaccine. It’s a huge slap in the face of their citizens.

It’s also completely reasonable to mandate the vaccine for an event that attracts as many people as a tennis open. Unvaccinated people are a threat to others and to themselves. End of the day if you don’t want to get the vaccine then watch it on tele.

 

[Cooksen]

I am really struggling to understand why this exemption is so controversial.

You will not understand because you are not from the state of Victoria and are not Australian.

The rage is real and huge here.

 

[Rajma]

Because a) we all know he has no valuud reason not to be vaccinated, b) he is getting treatment Australians and others aren't simply because he is rich and famous.

feck him and feck the Australian open.

So you trust the medical experts when it suits you? I don’t think Djokovic is at fault for the draconian measures your government put on your citizens.

 

[Balljy]

The federal government seem to be indicating that they could overrule the Victorian government decision when he gets to the border. If they're treating him like anybody else I'm fine with it, but there should be no exemptions based on fame.

"While the Victorian Government and Tennis Australia may permit a non-vaccinated player to compete in the Australian Open, it is the Commonwealth Government that will enforce our requirements at the Australian border," she said in a statement on Wednesday.
She added that any arriving individuals who were not vaccinated "must provide acceptable proof" of their medical grounds for exemption in order to enter Australia without a travel exemption or having to serve a quarantine."

Novak Djokovic: Australian Open vaccine exemption ignites backlash - BBC News

 

[Cooksen]

The federal government seem to be indicating that they could overrule the Victorian government decision when he gets to the border. If they're treating him like anybody else I'm fine with it, but there should be no exemptions based on fame.



Novak Djokovic: Australian Open vaccine exemption ignites backlash - BBC News

The fed will let him in, Channel 9 who broadcasts the Aussie open here paid big bucks for it and is run by ex Liberal party man Peter Costello who will tell our Government to let him in.

Scotty from marketing has zero fecking balls

 

[Cooksen]

So you trust the medical experts when it suits you? I don’t think Djokovic is at fault for the draconian measures your government put on your citizens.

The states have kept us safe and those rules has kept us safe

Scotty and the lib government gave up after 2 weeks in march 2020

 

[Rajma]

Almost every country in the world is mandating vaccinations for foreign nationals to be allowed in. Which is very sensible and reasonable.

We all know he doesn't have any reason not to be vaccinated. It is an utter disgrace and I hope there is a huge boycott of the open. A bullshit exemption for the rich and famous is causing outrage here.

Every democratic European nation has many exemptions for those said foreign nationals, mainly politicians, athletes, military personnel etc.

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

So are you saying that he faked asthma back in his early days in order to get exemption a decade later? I see you are a bit angry, but I don't think grounds for your anger is solid. The evidence is on the side that he has a condition or conditions that do qualify him for a vaccine exemption. It has nothing to do with him being reach and famous.

He is not the only player who got the exemption, he is just the highest profile player that got it.

From what I’ve read, organisations that support/give advice on asthma recommend the vaccinations - I’m asthmatic, I asked the doctor, he said the benefits massively outweigh the tiny risks so I’ve had both vaccinations and the booster.

I can imagine that if someone had asthma to such an extent that taking the vaccines could be a risk in itself, they may think twice though the advice I’ve read from the main asthma organisation in the UK is to take it as getting Covid is deemed a bigger risk… but I can’t see how Djokovic can have it with such a severity that he needs to avoid the vaccines BUT it doesn’t stop him being one of the greatest players ever in a sport that is so demanding physically.

Overriding everything else, I don’t like any Govt breaking pandemic rules for anyone, let alone a sportsman. I can understand why plenty of people, especially Australians, are pissed off… it’s a right slap in the face for people who try to improve their own/society’s safety even if that means theyre negatively impacted (lockdowns, travel, etc).

Maybe he feels he’s immune after hosting that tournament last year when nearly everyone said it was a stupid idea and he got Covid (so did other players there).… he’s not.

 

[groovyalbert]

I get the anger and justifiable frustration, but given the inevitable rise in cases anyway in Aus, wouldn't it just make more sense to have a more open border policy in general and not treat overseas citizens like pariahs?

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

Every democratic European nation has many exemptions for those said foreign nationals, mainly politicians, athletes, military personnel etc.

That’s interesting, I assumed UK was same rules for everyone but just googled and we do have such a list, though most on the list still require a pre arrival negative test. I don’t agree with it.. your role/job should make zero difference.

 

[Wibble]

Every democratic European nation has many exemptions for those said foreign nationals, mainly politicians, athletes, military personnel etc.

But lying sacks of anti-vaxx shit are rarely included.

 

[Wibble]

So you trust the medical experts when it suits you? I don’t think Djokovic is at fault for the draconian measures your government put on your citizens.

I don't trust his doctors. Not even a little bit.

 

[Wibble]

I get the anger and justifiable frustration, but given the inevitable rise in cases anyway in Aus, wouldn't it just make more sense to have a more open border policy in general and not treat overseas citizens like pariahs?

No. It makes no sense to treat the rich and famous differently from Australian citizens.

 

[RobinLFC]

It's an absolute joke and a disgrace that he's granted an exemption to play. I hope they boo the feck out of him every single game and make his record breaking title as miserable as possible.

Wouldn't shake his hand as an opponent either before or after a match.

 

[groovyalbert]

No. It makes no sense to treat the rich and famous differently from Australian citizens.

Absolutely - no question here, although I guess he would be subjected to far more regular testing at the Open? But I agree with your point.

But shouldn't the rules change for Australian citizens in general? I know a few who were stuck overseas and it was absolutely shocking/genuinely heartbreaking.

 

[Fts 74]

I think part of the problem is the way he acted last year hosting a tournament basically denying covid existed and then pretty much everyone in the tournament got covid himself included and then his anti vax comments.

I don't pretend to know how difficult it's been for people in Australia only what I see/hear on the news its sounds like its been very very tough and imo people have every right to be angry when you see someone like him getting an exemption, I know other players have apparently got them too but Djokovic's attitude towards covid/the vaccine makes him a target plain and simple.

Some players have already come out Jamie Murray included saying he wouldn't of got an exemption so why should Djokovic and I've a feeling there will be plenty more.

Great tennis player, but for someone who apparently is so desperate to be loved like Nadal and Federer, he clearly has a habit of acting like an absolute self entitled knob.

Can't stand the bloke.

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

It's an absolute joke and a disgrace that he's granted an exemption to play. I hope they boo the feck out of him every single game and make his record breaking title as miserable as possible.

Wouldn't shake his hand as an opponent either before or after a match.

Agree.

Also hope there's some petition re the relevant officials/politicians and the media runs with it. Sounds minor but sure politicians love re-election more than forcing one big name into their Open... or you'd hope so given it's a pandemic and they've told their citizens "rules are rules"

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

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[Rajma]

Next time our unvaccinated players will be traveling for our CL tie against Atletico to Spain, I hope to see the same outrage.

 

[RobinLFC]

Next time our unvaccinated players will be traveling for our CL tie against Atletico to Spain, I hope to see the same outrage.

Don't compare apples with oranges. If the Australian Open was in Spain, Djokovic would've been able to enter the country with a negative PCR test without any hassle.

 

[Rajma]

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Problem was always the unreasonably draconian rules that no self-respecting nation would have complied with for such a long time given the nature of this virus. It’s a total disgrace when I hear these stories from Australians.

 

[Buchan]

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This is hardly Djokovic’s fault though, is it? I was unable to attend the birth of my daughter last year due to similar governmental restrictions: does that mean I have to be eternally bitter about it towards people who had feck all to do with that decision-making?

 

[Rajma]

Don't compare apples with oranges. If the Australian Open was in Spain, Djokovic would've been able to enter the country with a negative PCR test without any hassle.

I think it’s just hypocrisy. Australia has exemptions on some grounds as well for which he applied, what’s the difference?

 

[RobinLFC]

I think it’s just hypocrisy. Australia has exemptions on some grounds as well for which he applied, what’s the difference?

That everyone knows his reasons for not being vaccinated are complete bullshit and that he's just allowed an exemption because he's Novak Djokovic.

Not getting the vaccine is your own personal choice, fine by me if he doesn't want it. He should live with the consequences though and not try to con the rules because he's rich and famous.

 

[Rajma]

That everyone knows his reasons for not being vaccinated are complete bullshit and that he's just allowed an exemption because he's Novak Djokovic. Such a backwards thinking.

That’s a strong statement without any evidence whatsoever, shall we forgo the courts then as well? Because well everyone knows.

As I said before he could have easily purchased vaccinations certificates ling time ago had he wanted to cheat and avoid this hustle.

Also, it might’ve been non-medical exemption, you’re just contemplating out off thin air.

 

[RobinLFC]

That’s a strong statement without any evidence whatsoever, shall we forgo the courts then as well? Because well everyone knows.

As I said before he could have easily purchased vaccinations certificates ling time ago had he wanted to cheat and avoid this hustle.

Think you've accidentally added a sentence to my quote.

There's enough evidence in the past about Djokovic to know, with a probability verging on certainty, that he's just not vaccinated because of his alternative medical beliefs.

It's one thing being denied an application for exemption, which I'm sure he could've lived with, but it's a whole other thing willingly and knowingly faking a vaccination certficate, which would cause an absolute shitstorm if it ever came out.

Totally fine if you disagree with my opinion on him and this situation, so let's just end it here. Let's just say it's no surprise the Australians are outraged about it as well after having to had endure such strict measures for nigh on two years by now (and that's without me giving any judgment on those measures, while it seems obvious that your take on this situation is also linked to your take on their measures that they are ridiculous).

 

[Bondi77]

I hope people just don’t go to his games
He is not overly liked in Oz anyway.

 

[Rajma]

Think you've accidentally added a sentence to my quote.

There's enough evidence in the past about Djokovic to know, with a probability verging on certainty, that he's just not vaccinated because of his alternative medical beliefs.

It's one thing being denied an application for exemption, which I'm sure he could've lived with, but it's a whole other thing willingly and knowingly faking a vaccination certficate, which would cause an absolute shitstorm if it ever came out.

Totally fine if you disagree with my opinion on him and this situation, so let's just end it here. Let's just say it's no surprise the Australians are outraged about it as well after having to had endure such strict measures for nigh on two years by now (and that's without me giving any judgment on those measures, while it seems obvious that your take on this situation is also linked to your take on their measures that they are ridiculous).

I can understand the anger from Australians on the surface I just think it’s totally misguided.

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

This is hardly Djokovic’s fault though, is it? I was unable to attend the birth of my daughter last year due to similar governmental restrictions: does that mean I have to be eternally bitter about it towards people who had feck all to do with that decision-making?

Not sure if you're assuming that I posted it for X reason. Agree he didn't make the decision (though he must have applied for the exemption?)

I missed out on two important events last year but those were the rules so followed them.

Just the bit about "good luck with that crowd" caught my eye... be interesting to see the reception he gets.

 

[slyadams]

Think you've accidentally added a sentence to my quote.

There's enough evidence in the past about Djokovic to know, with a probability verging on certainty, that he's just not vaccinated because of his alternative medical beliefs.

It's one thing being denied an application for exemption, which I'm sure he could've lived with, but it's a whole other thing willingly and knowingly faking a vaccination certficate, which would cause an absolute shitstorm if it ever came out.

Totally fine if you disagree with my opinion on him and this situation, so let's just end it here. Let's just say it's no surprise the Australians are outraged about it as well after having to had endure such strict measures for nigh on two years by now (and that's without me giving any judgment on those measures, while it seems obvious that your take on this situation is also linked to your take on their measures that they are ridiculous).

This is it right here. I don't buy for one second he's unvaccinated because of a real asthma issue firstly because of his past statements are too convenient and secondly because the general advice is for asthma patients to get the vaccine. If his asthma is so very serious the vaccine could cause problems, then COVID would likely kill him and he shouldn't be travelling at all. I don't think you can have it both ways.

 

[::sonny::]

Aus gvt already said they are ready to reject him

 

[RobinLFC]

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Absolute mess.