COVID-19 and Tennis

[Pushka]

I'd be interested to know what difference it would have made if his travel declaration had said 'yes' to the question about travel in the previous 14 days. Is it a case of further questions would then be asked about where he went, what he did etc, or is it a blanket 'no you can't come to Australia until 14 days have expired since your last trip'. Because if it is the latter then surely the 'human error' excuse becomes completely irrelevant. Rules are rules as someone once said - oh wait wasn't that our PM who said that?

Given he's coming in from overseas I don't actually understand why this question is in any way important and likely I'd have answered it wrongly too!

 

[OATEK]

I'd be interested to know what difference it would have made if his travel declaration had said 'yes' to the question about travel in the previous 14 days. Is it a case of further questions would then be asked about where he went, what he did etc, or is it a blanket 'no you can't come to Australia until 14 days have expired since your last trip'. Because if it is the latter then surely the 'human error' excuse becomes completely irrelevant. Rules are rules as someone once said - oh wait wasn't that our PM who said that?

I think the Serbian PM repeated the rules are rules mantra also. The declaration would lead to discussions about where travelled, as some countries are on our "red" list.

 

[CaptainCurtis]

Paul Bongiorno (supposedly a 30-year political journalist) reporting Djokovic will be deported today.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1481237627064193025

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Looks like two newsreaders were not aware the camera was live..

https://twitter.com/x/status/1480889319057469443

Mind you they are most likely 100% accurate.

 

[Anna]

I predict there will be trouble from the insane Novax supporters who will probably try to cause trouble at the airport if a deportation announcement is made. So the govt had better get the AFP ready for that first before making any deportation announcement.

 

[Lynda2475]

Deport first, announce once he is in the air.

 

[prozac]

Just reported on 2GB Novax will be told he will be deported today and the lawyers will file an injunction against it. The injunction will be upheld and Novax will be entered in the AO draw and allowed to play until the case comes to court and decided.
I am disgusted he can get away with this when no other traveler would get the chance to play...

Edit: Last line tongue in cheek, but I am disgusted.

 

[Lynda2475]

Disgusting, anyone else who was objecting to a deportation would be held in detention, not out and about.

 

[Anna]

Well he didn't get to be a grand slam champion by caving under pressure

An injunction application is normally dealt with pretty quickly though. It is not the kind of application that languishes in the courts for months or years.

 

[Anna]

And also, I know he's rich and he got a costs order against the Commonwealth earlier in the week but that will not cover 100% of those costs, and the costs of bringing an injunction application are immense. I wonder at what point this attempt to play in AO2022 becomes an uncommercial proposition for Novax? Probably never unfortunately

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Well he didn't get to be a grand slam champion by caving under pressure

An injunction application is normally dealt with pretty quickly though. It is not the kind of application that languishes in the courts for months or years.

As opposed to the case actually reviewing the Minister's decision could take ......oh three weeks to resolve.

 

[SeatBackForward]

And also, I know he's rich and he got a costs order against the Commonwealth earlier in the week but that will not cover 100% of those costs, and the costs of bringing an injunction application are immense. I wonder at what point this attempt to play in AO2022 becomes an uncommercial proposition for Novax? Probably never unfortunately

His Ego bank never loses money.

 

[Anna]

likely I'd have answered it wrongly too!

But as an Aust citizen and fully vaxxed, if you did answer it wrong accidentally or otherwise, wouldn't the most likely outcome be quarantine? I dunno, I'm just speculating here.

 

[Lynda2475]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1481385365760094218

 

[prozac]

His Ego bank never loses money.

I wonder when the sponsors will start dropping off.

And also, I know he's rich and he got a costs order against the Commonwealth earlier in the week but that will not cover 100% of those costs,

@Anna , a couple of decades ago I was awarded costs in a case. Costs mid-300's. The defendants offered $200k. When I squealed they said "Sue us". haha

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

My probably unpopular take on this (assuming its true), but a policy change while a person is in mid-air will probably result in Advantage Djokovic.

The one question that will decide Novak Djokovic's visa fate

When Novak Djokovic departed for Australia, he was not considered a health risk. By the time he landed, he was. Whether that remains the case will determine his Australian Open fate.

www.abc.net.au

First few para

The world awaits the decision from Immigration Minister Alex Hawke on whether he will use his ministerial power to cancel tennis player Novak Djokovic's visa.

The question he must answer is this: Is Djokovic "a risk to the health, safety or good order of the Australian community or a segment of the Australian community", as stated in the immigration act?

According to Australian policy at the time that Djokovic boarded his flight on January 5 in Dubai, he was not a risk. By the time he landed, he had become one.

Border Force policy changed while Djokovic was on flight​

The grounds stated for Djokovic's original cancellation were that the Australian government did not accept a valid medical exemption from the Victorian government.

As explained by former deputy secretary of the Department of Immigration Abul Risvi on the 7.30 program, "Until and including the fifth of January, the policy was that Border Force would accept exemption medical certificates from state governments, such as the Victorian state government, at face value … [on] the sixth of January the policy changed."

Prime Minister Scott Morrison was asked about the exemption prior to Djokovic's arrival.

"That is a matter for the Victorian government," he said. "They have provided him an exemption to come to Australia, so we then act in accordance with that decision, and that's been happening for the past two years."

It is also on the public record that prior to January 5 at least one other player and an official had flown into Victoria with the same exemptions.

After January 6 they were arrested and deported with Czech player Renata Voracova, who is deciding if she will now sue Tennis Australia for costs.

 

[Lynda2475]

What about all those people in mid air the many time WA changed their policy? They ended up needing to leave immediately or go into HQ.

Noting the Vic govt not publicly calling for Novak to be allowed to stay or play.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

From news.com.au blog - but I think Djokovic is a Monaco resident...

Report: Novak under fresh investigation

Fresh reports emerged on Thursday claiming Spanish authorities are investigating Djokovic over his arrival into the country.

The tennis star said his agent incorrectly ticked “no” on a form asking if he had travelled in the 14 days before leaving for Australia, when in fact he had gone from Serbia to Spain in that time, where he practised ahead of the year’s first grand slam.

Spanish publication COPE reports agencies are looking into whether he entered the country illegally.

Tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg revealed Spains’s policy stipulates “unvaccinated tourists” are not allowed to enter the country and he’d need to prove his work was “essential” to get in.

Fellow tennis reporter Gaspar Ribeiro Lanca tweeted: “Breaking news: COPE reports that the Spanish Government is now investigating whether unvaccinated Novak Djokovic entered the country illegally in late December.

“Since September 20, citizens from Serbia need a vaccine certificate OR a special exemption to enter Spanish territory but so far the authorities say they did not receive any request from Djokovic.”

James Franey of the Daily Mail tweeted: “Novak Djokovic faces fresh allegations he broke Covid travel rules — this time when he visited Marbella last month, Spanish diplomats say. Spain’s government has ordered a police investigation. Djokovic’s team declined to comment.”

It means Djokovic is under investigation by three countries: Australia, Serbia and Spain. Serbia is investigating whether he broke rules around Covid isolation after he admitted to attending an interview and photo shoot even after testing positive.

In late December and early January the Soto Tennis Academy, based in Sotogrande in Spain, uploaded several videos to its official Twitter page showing Djokovic was practising there.

On January 4, the Tennis Head website reported: “Djokovic is still training in Marbella, Spain on the same surface and with the official balls for the Australian Open.”

Marbella is about a 45-minute drive from Sotogrande.

Djokovic’s trip to Spain comes after he was seen in Belgrade on Christmas.

Djokovic may be OK if he is considered a resident of Spain. The 20-time major winner bought a house in Marbella, on the south coast of Spain, in 2020, reportedly making the move from his previous base in Monte Carlo on the French Riviera.

 

[MARTINE]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1481385365760094218

How did he get into Spain? Carried by slaves on a stretcher being fanned by palms and fed milk? Of course not - he avoids dairy

 

[prozac]

How did he get into Spain? Carried by slaves on a stretcher being fanned by palms and fed milk? Of course not - he avoids dairy

Grapes MARTINE, they are fed grapes.