While Novak Djokovic is threatened with deportation to Australia due to a visa problem linked to his medical exemption allowing him not to be vaccinated against Covid-19, his father shared his anger, calling him a new “leader of the free world ”.
While he thought he could play the Australian Open thanks to a medical exemption accepted by the federal state of Victoria, while vaccination is compulsory for players, Novak Djokovic is still blocked at the entrance to the country, detained for a bad visa story. The world number 1 in tennis, who obtained a reprieve on Thursday before a possible expulsion from the country, was described by his father as a new “leader of the free world”. In an interview with Serbian media Telegraf, Srdjan lamented that his son was “held captive” by Australia, while affirming that he “never been so free”. “Novak has become the symbol and leader of the free world, the world of poor and oppressed nations and peoples.” He added: “My son has shown that even a small but heroic country like Serbia can have the best tennis player and athlete of all time and that the truth can no longer be hidden”. Going always further in his statements, the man compared him to a “Spartacus of the new world”. “We can imprison him tonight, chain him tomorrow, but the truth is like water and it always finds its way. Novak is the Spartacus of the new world who does not tolerate injustice, colonialism and hypocrisy, but fights for the equality of all people on the planet, whatever the color of their skin, whatever the God they pray and how much money they have ”.
“He will return home by the first plane”
Novak Djokovic – who refused to say if he was vaccinated or not – announced earlier this week his departure for Australia thanks to a medical exemption. But his visa was canceled, with Australian Customs explaining that he “did not provide the appropriate elements to enter Australia” and that “foreign nationals who do not have a valid visa or whose visa has been canceled will be detained and deported from Australia ”.
This affair which takes a political turn strongly reacted the Serbian president who denounced “the harassment” of which the champion is victim according to him. “I told our Novak that all of Serbia was with him and that our authorities were taking all measures to stop the harassment of the best tennis player in the world as soon as possible. In accordance with all standards of public international law, Serbia will fight for Novak Djokovic, for justice and for truth, ”he wrote on Instagram. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison for his part recalled that “if the evidence to support this waiver is insufficient, then Djokovic will not be treated any differently from anyone else, and he will return home on the first plane. “. Novak Djokovic’s medical exemption has been widely criticized in the country, where the measures to fight Covid-19 have been among the most severe in the world. The inhabitants recall that they have not been entitled to any exemption for the past two years, even when it comes to seeing relatives who are ill or at the end of their life.
“In my opinion, the world has suffered too much not to follow the rules”
Novak Djokovic spoke in April 2020 against compulsory vaccination, then considered to allow the resumption of tournaments. “Personally, I am not for vaccines. I would not like someone to force me to be vaccinated to travel, ”he said at the time. Several players have reacted to Novak Djokovic’s situation in recent hours. While some have used diplomacy to speak out on this affair, Rafael Nadal – who had covid in December and said he was affected by significant symptoms – has been less patient. “In my opinion, the world has suffered too much not to follow the rules. If he wanted, he could have played here without a problem. Everyone is free to make their own decisions, but there are consequences. On the one hand, I’m sorry for him. But he knew the conditions (…). It is normal that people here in Australia are annoyed by this situation with all the confinements they have experienced ”. “A lot of families have suffered, a lot of people have been dead for two years. My feeling is that the vaccine is the only solution to stop this pandemic. This is what scientists say. I’m no one to say anything else, ”he said again.
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