34- year old Famous Serbian tennis Player Novac Djokovic was deported from Australia on Sunday because of his vaccination status.
He was not allowed to stay in the country to participate in the Australian open tennis tournament due to being unvaccinated and was stopped at the border. He had his Visa canceled, was detained and went to federal court where the matter was overturned.
Dominican/Australian Lawyer Cabral Douglas said the Djokovic case brought drama surrounding Covid-19 restrictions and vaccinations in the country after “the number one tennis player in the world” was allowed into the country.
He said Australians saw this as a “slap in the face” because of the fact that Australians were asked to “bite the bullet” by taking the vaccine and be on lockdown for months on end.
“The fact that Djokovic was able to overcome and skirt the system, the majority of Australians did not support him participating in the tournament and that is when the minister of immigration took the decision to intervene and have the visa cancelled for a second time. He did that on the special powers granted to the minister and the minister only,” he stated in a press release.
Under those powers, he revealed the court was asked to evaluate under the Principles of judicial review whether the minister acted irrationally. Given the background and context of what was taking place, leading up to the decision relating to Australia’s Covid-19 vaccinations, it could not be said that the minister acted unreasonably.
“As a result of that the court was forced to act within its powers, limited as they were in this matter and uphold the minister’s decision which is what led to Novak Djokovic, deportation from Australia,” Douglas stated.
This battle over Djokovic’s COVID-19 vaccination status has ended his dream of winning a record 21st Grand Slam in Australia.
Meantime former Liberal MP, Craig Kelly called Djokovic “a political prisoner of the Morrison regime”.
According to www.smh.com.au, Kelly who is the leader of the United Australia Party and federal member for Hughes, told an anti-vaccination rally at Hyde Park on Saturday that he was ashamed to be an Australian after Djokovic’s visa was cancelled.
“The Prime Minister [Scott Morrison] has put the tennis player Novak Djokovic into detention today,” he said. “Today the world’s No.1 tennis player is a political prisoner of the Morrison regime.
“This embarrasses our nation. It brings shame upon our country, and it plays into the sentiment of vindictiveness and spitefulness that is not the Australian character,” Kelly said.
The march was one of a number organised around Australia by Reclaim The Line, which claimed on its website to resist “medical apartheid”, protect children’s future and “break down the emerging segregation within our society”
So because he is a high profile celebrity that gives him the right to blatantly ignore the laws of Australia? The Australian people have every right to feel outraged by his actions. Every country has rules which need to be adhered to by both the locals and visitors whether you are a celebrity or not. People need to respect those rules. You must be fully vaccinated to enter the country and that’s the Australian rule… he was unvaxed and as such broke the rule and should be punished just as an ordinary citizen of Australia. Some of all you celebrities think because you have money and name you that gives you the right to do as you please in someone else country. They should have changed him a big money too and put that money towards fighting covid in Australia.
DNO – I am confused about the point of the article. Is it about Novac Djokovic or Cabral Douglas or the Australian government? If it’s about the deportation of Novac Djokovic, then it would seem that a photo of him would be more appropriate. If it’s about Mr. Douglas, what is the point? Is he representing Novac Djokovic? Or is it to showcase a Dominican practicing law in Australia? If the later is the case, the title and angle of the article both need to be changed. The same applies to PM Scott Morrison’s comments. Thank you for your efforts in bringing us the news.
ADMIN: Thank you for your feedback. However, this is not a news article but a commentary written by Cabral Douglas.
Being there to play is not a violation of law, if he was not caught playing, unvaccinated. To opt to play as a gesture to hold his title, while feeling his only chance would be without the vaccine’s side effects, does not violate protocol. To scold him is to give him a quick heads up of Australia’s condition, which is responsible of them, but failing him attacking the tennis court for his title unvaccinated, he should be given a second chance. Due diligence fulfilled towards his fans, if that was his best shot to appear.
So, what does his deportation from Australia have to do with anybody in Dominica; what does any Dominican have to gain, benefit from his success?
Gabral, he was not deported simply because he is not vaccinated!
He was caught lying also, just because one believe they are celebrities, does not give them the right or privilege to go into peoples country; break laws, and do as they wish; only in Dominica that is expected!
His affair is not news, we read and listen to comments on Television for weeks now that have become redundant.
“the court upheld Immigration Minister Alex Hawke’s decision to cancel the Serbian’s visa. Hawke had said Djokovic’s presence could be a threat to public order and encourage anti-vaccine sentiment amid a surge in coronavirus infections driven by the highly contagious Omicron variant.”
So, you get the drift, your comments are nothing special, and absolutely irrelevant, none significant to the Dominica!
Some people never heard his name prior to this…
Are you referring to Choksi??