If you play by the rules it's game, set and match

YourLifeChoices regular and retired teacher Dianne Motton shares her views on the Novak Djokovic visa saga.

I vividly remember a history class I ran a few years ago. The topic of immigration and border controls came up and I tried to explain to the naïve 14-year-olds that just because they wanted to go to a particular country didn’t mean they had the right to go there. The looks on their faces could only be described as incredulous. “What, can’t I just go to America and stay there for as long as I like?” came one of the plaintive cries.

I realised that despite many of them travelling overseas, their parents had always taken care of visas and made sure that they met immigration requirements. They had no concept about the legalities of travel and migration.

I tried to explain the varying rules and regulations around visiting and staying in various countries and why the rules existed – a way of controlling population growth, skilled workers and keeping 'undesirables' out of their country.

I can still hear some of them muttering, “But that’s not fair”, a whinge from the privileged class.

Hence, when I read news reports about Novak Djokovic and comments his mother made, my memory flew back to that lesson. The same whinge was repeated in his mother’s plaintive cry. She claims, regarding her son’s visa problems, that it was “unfair that the immigration minister alone has the power to make a final ruling on deportation.” The entire Djokovic family has engaged in emotionally charged rhetoric, some of gargantuan proportions, claiming he has been “imprisoned” and “crucified”. Really??

I had to laugh at her naivety and her sense of entitlement and ignorance. All governments around the world have the ultimate right to refuse entry to their country to any of us. The immigration minister of any country is merely the figurehead who voices the government’s stance at that point in time. Try standing on the demilitarised zone between North and South Korea and demand that you be allowed in. No matter how famous or rich you are I doubt that Kim would be happy to acquiesce to your demands.

Particularly in these unprecedented COVID times, countries have closed borders, tightened their rules even for the casual holiday-maker and focused on the protection of their citizens and livelihoods. As they should and as they have a right to.

Victorians, having suffered some of the longest lockdowns in the world, have a right to be angry that someone like Djokovic can flaunt our federal immigration rules, finding loopholes to cleverly avoid vaccination. It is irrelevant whether he is a champion tennis player, whether he has a mass following that wants to see him play and win another Australian Open, or whether his playing will bring in the crowds and money to Rod Laver Arena.

He has not abided by the rules of our country. Send him home where he can lament with his family about the appalling treatment he has received. His sense of entitlement will never let him admit he was he wrong.

What are your thoughts on the Djokovic saga? Should he be allowed to stay and play in the Australian Open?

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17 comments

it's a wicked problem for the Immigration Minister – be a hero and reward Djokavic antics and lies and undermine border security, or be a dick and enforce border security protocols without fear or favour.

Immigration should not have issued the visa in the first instance without checking veracity of the claims and boofhead Immigration officers at Tullamarine should have ensured procedural fairness and not cancelled visa at 7:42am instead of 8:30am. 

Notwithstanding the controversy surrounding his visa application on 10 December claiming a medical exemption four days before the alleged exposure and six days ahead of the "positive" PCR  returned on 16 December, he is photographed being out and about in the day after the "positive" result in contravention of Serbian law and sillent on sharing his positive result (unlike 2020).  Djokavic says he did not find out he was positive until afterwards (this is contradicted by court documents). No matter, an Australian medical panel accepted his medical evidence on face value clearing the way for him to enter under a medical exemption.

It then eventuates that Djokovic not only had the gift of foresight about his covid infection, but also lied on his arrival declaration that he had not travelled out of country in 14 days prior to departure for Australia despite being photographed in Belgrade around Christmas.  He pleads ignorance saying his team fills in his forms and it was human error. 

Bottom line is Djokavic departed Spain for Australia and did not stay the previous 14 days in Spain as required.  It does not matter if human error by his support team. If we ignore immigration laws for Djokavic because he can hit a tennis ball then it sets a low bar precedent that can be argued by other visitors. His visa should be cancelled unless Immigration can put hand on heart and say it would overlook same errors by someone not Djokavic.

Well said by all!  Send the pompous,privileged, liar home.

Agree 100% with both the above commentators 

I also agree 100% with the above commentators and with Huskie, Quote; Well said by all! Send the pompous, privileged, liar home.

Also agree with all previous comments.

Every time he opens his mouth it's either a lie or a feeble excuse that comes out.

Send him back.

Djokovic has always been a controversial player, and some of his behaviours have cost him general popularity.  Granted, he is a gifted tennis ace who has provided entertainment to audiences and pride to his country of origin, but his feelings of entitlement and superiority have brought him into his current predicament.  The only reasonable option at this point would be to bow to Australian law and go home.  I feel that this whole issue has been very poorly handled by all the relevant Australian authorities, as well as Djokovic's own team, and this situation should not have been allowed to occur.

It certainly seems that Djokavic is gaming the system but our handling of this is downright inept. There is also the case of the female tennis player who was allowed into the country, actually competed in a warm up tournament then was deported. Really?

How good is our Border Force one is forced to ask. 

The political game was also being played with initially Morrison pointing the finger at Victoria for issuing Djokovic with a visa until it was pointed out to him, a former Minister for Immigration no less, that only the Federal Government can issue a Visa to visit Australia. By that time he realised the public mood was against Djokovic staying so he proudly claimed credit for the Feds actions.

It is a shambles and paints a very poor picture of Australia overseas as this has become of interest internationally. Whatever happens Australia is the loser.  

Talk about being between a rock and a hard place. The decision should be made by the government in the interests of the citizens for whom they ultimately represent. What the media, another country or indeed the opposition want to weigh in should not affect the decision. As regards the federal judge's decision, I believe that he ruled that Djokovic was not given a fair hearing in the decision by Border Control, not that Djokovic was eligible to enter the country. I also believe that the judge did not consider the facts behind how the visa came to be issued. I wonder how many visas are applied for each day and whether those responsible for their issue check every one of them for correctness or whether they rely on the supporting documentation.

Tennis Australia was advised by the Health Minister on at least two occasions that having Covid within 6 months was not an acceptable reason for entry but that a double vaccination was also required. Tennis Australia then advised all applicants that having had Covid within 6 months was acceptable; no mention of double vaccination. There were two "independent" medical panels tasked with reviewing the applications for a medical exemption, one raised by Tennis Australia and the other by the Victorian government. It could be argued that both of those bodies had an interest in allowing Djokovic in to Victoria. I believe that as the federal government controls the borders that a panel should have been raised by the federal government which would have given an appearance of independence.

Djokovic has to be deported because of the lies that have been told regardless of whether he filled out the forms or not. He is responsible for his agent and it should be noted that it is probably the same agent who completes visa applications every week for Djokovic to compete in tournaments around the world. The agent would be aware of each country's requirements, including health. Which medical authority issued the certificate that stated that Djokovic had contracted Covid on December 16th? Was a sample taken by medical authorities who confirmed that Djokovic was the donor or was a sample produced purporting to be from Djokovic?

The federal government has done a good job in keeping Australians safe as compared to other countries and the double vaccination rule has been in place for some time. The rule is another reason to deport Djokovic and if that occurs, he will not be allowed in Australia for 3 years. It will also affect his entry into some countries as well as deportation is viewed seriously. Djokovic's best option is to cut and run before a decision has been made to protect his future playing career.

The only thing that makes a mockery of Australia is if we don't adhere to our border control laws.  NoVax didn't comply and lied.  Whether directly or by signing something one of his staff completed for him.  The question all Border Control Officers ask when questioning a form is "Did you complete this?" and then "Did you Sign this?"

Foreigners actually have no 'rights' in any country.  Try to go to Serbia without the right paperwork.  It downright uncomfortable.  Why a Tennis Star should get special treatment is a key issue. 

Thousands of Australians have done the right thing and been unable to visit family or even lost businesses.  Giving a privileged person (no matter what the field) free entry is unacceptable.  Just as any tourist visiting Australia gets rejected for lying either deliberately or by oversight, on a Border Control form, so should this special person!

The 34-year-old was photographed in Serbia and Spain within the 14-day window, however Djokovic on Wednesday claimed his agent mistakenly ticked the wrong box.

However the saga took another explosive twist on Thursday with reports that Spanish authorities are now investigating his entry into the country.

Nice post Suze.  It'd be great to see the Spanish authorities take some action as we seem to be a bunch of wishy washy inepts here and incapable of taking decisive action.

French and Serbian authorities now also having a look into his movements.

More than happy to pay his departure tax - the judge in the court proceedings asked 'what else could this man have done?' Well, the obvious answer is GET VACCINATED and this entire fiasco would never have happened - don't let the door hit your arse on the way out NoVax .......

Just get him and his wingers out of OUR country ASAP. He broke the rules so he should be treated like everyone else.

They should include the Judge in Djokovic's luggage.

The judge ruled on procedural fairness after reviewing transcripts of boofhead immigration officer departing from the script and then cancelling the visa at about 7:40am instead of waiting until 8:30am. The judge did not rule on the veracity of the exemption or how he knew about the infection when applying for visa six days before he tested positive.

It is very simple, and there rules, if you break them you suffer the consequences. Novak broke the rules and should be deported. That of course is only the start of the consequences. He will not be able to apply to enter Australia for at least three years. The consequence that would be even more critical to him is that most countries deny entry to anyone who has been refused entry to another country in the past  12 months. These rules are not just applicable to a world top sport an, but but to EVERY INDIVIDUAL IRRESPECTIVE OF RACE OR POSITION.

THE SAME RULES MUST APPLY TO EVERYONE. 

THE SAME RULES MUST APPLY TO EVERYONE. 

Have to agree with that, disgusting how some famous sports-people and "celebrities" have been given exemptions over the course of this pandemic.

 

GET RID OF THE LYING SERB

Angry Flag Serbia Mascot Shaped on Cartoon Stock Vector - Illustration of  cute, cartoon: 158313714

 

Why is the Australian government so pathetic in making a decision.? It's no use Djokovic's legal team objecting to the rule and delaying the process, when you tell a deliberate lie on your visa form , you're shown the exit door on the next available plane. 

 

I think they are thinking more of votes than anything now, they are thinking of the Federal Election soon!

They see all those Serbs jumping up and down and don't wish to annoy them Hola, but they forget about the people that are not Serbs and their feelings!

 

I think it's a matter of crossing all the 't's" and dotting all the "i's", HOLA. Djokovic's legal team have been sending paperwork as late as Wednesday and the government legal team is going through all of the arguments. In view of the way Border Control handled the initial cancellation, the government has to get this one right. Remember, the judge only ruled as to whether Djokovic was treated in a fair manner, not whether his paperwork was in order. To me, it's essential that when a legal challenge is mounted that the charge will be about Djokovic's truthfulness, not a Mickey Mouse obscure legal technicality.

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