Claire Thomson
The last fortnight has provided controversy, scandal and high sporting media coverage on the lead up to the Australian Open. Although the headlines surrounding the current Men’s World No.1 Novak Djokovic might have said otherwise, it is almost certain that his deportation will not be the end of public discourse concerning unvaccinated athletes, sport-star privileges, and post-pandemic immigration laws.
After spending 11 days battling to maintain his right to play in the Australian Open, the Serbian tennis star was defeated when the Australian government cancelled his visa for the second time following a legal battle, and banned him from entering the country for a further three years. Arguably the greatest tennis player of all time, the 34-year-old was forced to wave goodbye to what could have been his tenth Australian Open title, as he vacated the country on 17 January.
Ongoing conversations in the media are continually highlighting Djokovic’s stance on vaccinations, emphasising that it is his responsibility to public health to follow the immigration rules of a country, and rightly so.
Actions have consequences – even for the best of us
To quote fellow tennis star Rafael Nadal: “I think if he wanted, he would be playing here in Australia without a problem…he made his own decisions, and everybody is free to take their own decisions, but then there are some consequences…of course, I don’t like the situation that is happening. In some way, I feel sorry for him. But at the same time, he knew the conditions […] months ago, so he makes his own decision”. Djokovic has the right to remain unvaccinated. However, as with any decision in every walk of life, he must then be prepared to face the consequences of his action, particularly in the current climate.
So yes, I do believe that the Australian government made the right decision in denying Djokovic the right to remain in the country and by no means am I defending him. However, in my opinion, the situation was not handled in the most appropriate manner.
With hope, anything is possible
Firstly, there was hope. We cannot forget the fact that, prior to boarding an Australia-bound plane, Djokovic had been granted a visa and was authorised to enter the country. Whether you agree or disagree with this initial decision, the authorities and border officials had given him the green light to travel to Australia and compete in the tournament. It was only upon his arriving in Australia that we learned his visa had been cancelled mid-flight, and that he was facing detainment, and consequently a legal battle.
The point here is the Australian government should not have approved Djokovic’s visa application, and they should have rather provided a medical exemption if there was not sufficient evidence in the first place. Just as Djokovic had the right to challenge the immigration laws and entry requirements to request a visa, Australia had the right to refuse this from the offset. And they should have.
A sporting development
2021 saw a momentous development in the sporting world surrounding a change in attitudes towards the mental health of sportspeople and breaking down the stereotype of the ‘invincible athlete.’ Whether someone is the most successful athlete in the world, or simply a beginner in their sport, mentality drives performance and motivation. In 2022, we have already made a U-turn on this evolution. We are too dependent on pleasing everyone and creating discourse, instead of making a decision that favours the majority.
Having grown up as a competitive athlete, I cannot emphasise enough the importance of having a positive and stable mindset going into a competition. Although I will always fight it, there is an ounce of sympathy towards Djokovic and his situation, as preparation is the key to success. Pre-competition training and routines are something that you spend so much time aiming to perfect.
In fact, it was women’s tennis star Naomi Osaka who helped to kick off this movement. The tennis world is no stranger to prioritising mental health and putting a stop to media scrutiny.
Unfortunately, with that said, this situation moved beyond the boundaries of the sporting world and became politically motivated, all whilst tarnishing tennis’s reputation and undermining the other athletes who also wanted the chance to be in the spotlight for a change.
Djokovic was provided with an opportunity to compete in the Australian Open against all odds, only to have it stripped away from him at the last minute. The whole uncertainty of the situation for the best part of two weeks only deteriorates the psyche. After having his visa reinstated the first time, Djokovic stated that it had given him the motivation and the determination to come away victorious, yet it could have easily gone the other way. A clear cut decision on the status of Djokovic’s visa should have been made prior to his entry to the country to avoid damaging the mental health of the athlete, and even the entourage.
Media scrutiny
Secondly, in the first court case on 10 January, the judge had reinstated Djokovic’s visa on the basis that enough evidence had been provided and that he felt sympathy towards the player who had not been given adequate notice of the cancellation or time to prepare. Not even 24 hours later following equal amounts of media backlash and support for the announcement that Djokovic would be in the bid to defend his title, another storm was brewing claiming that Djokovic was not yet in the all-clear and his situation would be reviewed further.
Obviously, media attention to this case was sky-high from the beginning, with everyone having an opinion on the fate of the reigning champion. But this begs the question: did this scandal and controversy have to be so, so public? Once again, everything – and I mean everything – should have been very carefully reviewed for flaws prior to the court case. If there was a problem, it should have been resolved in the first instance. From Australia’s side, there was notably a lack of communication between government figures and officials.
Separating the sports-star from the sport
There is no doubt that Djokovic is a polarising player, with his selfish and somewhat arrogant personality often separated from his sporting achievements, however, no one deserves to be so publicly humiliated and embarrassed. It is not fair, no matter who you are. His success will always outlive him and his behaviour, but in the public eye, actions always speak substantially louder than words.
By no means was Djokovic the only unvaccinated player attempting to compete in the tournament, nor is tennis the only sport to face this issue. What lies ahead in the sporting world will certainly be interesting. Yet, having potentially already played the last Australian Open of his career and on shaky ground about whether he will be able to play in the French Open, after the French government passed a new law that no unvaccinated people were allowed in sports stadiums, it is time for Djokovic to swallow his pride. He needs to accept that if he wants to be the best and break the records, then he should roll his sleeve up.
It is their time to shine
This whole controversy has caused an immense amount of important conversation that cover a variety of topics. Whilst it is necessary that we do not forget about the Djokovic scandal, we should be turning our attention to the Australian Open itself and focusing on those who are playing, rather than those who are not. Besides, Djokovic’s visa was not the only one to be cancelled, but you would not know that judging by the headlines. It has been said that we should be questioning the credibility of the tournament now that the favourite is out, and honestly, I could not agree less. Djokovic is not the only tennis player in the world. Perhaps his absence will be the perfect opportunity for someone else to have their time to shine. So whilst unfortunately I believe that this year’s Australian Open will be tainted with this massive controversy, I hope that we can put that aside for the next few weeks and concentrate on celebrating the successes of those who did not have their visas revoked.
Featured image courtesy of Todd Trapani via Unsplash. Image license can be found here. No changes were made to this image.
Claire Thomson
Aspiring Sports Journalist and Modern Languages Student (French/German) at University of Glasgow