Novak Djokovic was forced to leave Australia after he remained unvaccinated against Covid 19. Photo / Getty
Novak Djokovic was forced to leave Australia after he remained unvaccinated against Covid 19. Photo / Getty
Among all the bickering from both sides on whether or not it was right for Novak Djokovic to be deported lies one crucial point that, until now, hasn't received the public attention it should have.
Fans of the Serbian superstar argue he should have been allowed to stay in Australia and compete at Melbourne Park because he received — or at least thought he'd received — a medical exemption against being vaccinated after contracting Covid-19 in December.
But Djokovic wasn't getting any sympathy from most Australians, who have been told the only way of returning to normal life is by getting the jab.
Immigration minister Alex Hawke made the call to cancel Djokovic's visa last week and on Sunday the Federal Court upheld that decision, robbing the world No. 1 of the chance to win what could have been a historic 21st grand slam title.
Novak Djokovic and Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley have both come under fire. Photo / Getty
In the aftermath of it all, respected Australian tennis coach Darren Cahill — who has mentored former world No. 1 Simona Halep and is also helping American young gun Amanda Anisimova — made a point worth noting.
There was much confusion around whether contracting Covid in the past six months was a valid reason to not be vaccinated. Tennis Australia was under the impression from Victorian authorities it was justified, but letters from Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt to TA in November clearly stated a recent infection was not grounds to receive a medical exemption.
As Cahill pointed out this week as the Australian Open got under way, a recent Covid infection should never have been a loophole Djokovic was allowed to explore and he certainly shouldn't have been encouraged to pursue that road by TA.
That rule should exist for people who want to be vaccinated, but can't, because of a recent infection. That's a valid medical reason.
Djokovic has never been in that situation. He has refused to get the jab despite having ample time to do so and if anything, getting sick last month was, as tennis commentator Jim Courier put it, a "silver lining" of sorts to give him a shot at competing Downunder.
Cahill: 'I hated that particular exemption'
Speaking on Nine's broadcast of the Australian Open, Cahill said: "I hated the exemption that he had, because I think that exemption is really for people that wish to get vaccinated and they can't get vaccinated because they've contracted Covid — and you have to wait three or six months, and then you get vaccinated.
"Novak never wanted to get vaccinated, so I hated that particular exemption.
"If you have an acute medical illness or something that holds you back from getting it, no problem, but I didn't like the whole thing from the start.
"It was a mess from the start and then it just got worse and worse.
"I think a lot of responsibility sits with the Tennis Australia board. I would hate to see [TA CEO] Craig Tiley have it all lumped on his shoulders."
Referring to advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), Victoria's Department of Health says people who have contracted Covid recently should defer their vaccinations for a period — but certainly not put them off for good, as Djokovic appears to be doing.
"Past confirmed infection with Sars-CoV-2 is not a contraindication to vaccination. ATAGI recommends that vaccination should be deferred in those with PCR confirmed Sars-CoV-2 infection until complete recovery from the acute illness," reads the guidance on medical exemptions to vaccinations.
"These individuals should be vaccinated as soon as they have recovered from acute illness, regardless of disease severity, and within six months after onset of the Sars- CoV-2 infection.
"People who have received an anti-Sars-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody or convalescent plasma should defer future doses of Covid-19 vaccine for at least 90 days. Chronic symptoms following Covid-19 [long Covid] is not a contraindication to Covid-19 vaccines but does warrant a clinical discussion with the patient."
Djokovic has spoken publicly in the past of his opposition to mandatory vaccinations and was deported on the grounds that he would incite anti-vax sentiment in Australia if allowed to stay.
It could be argued even after recovering from his recent bout of Covid, he would still refuse to be vaccinated — again making it unfair that he should use his December infection to jump through a loophole that was created for people in very different situations to him. Again, those are people who actually want to be vaccinated but can't for legitimate medical reasons.
Djokovic has been an outspoken advocate of alternative medicine. He delayed elbow surgery in 2017 to see if his injury would heal itself before ultimately deciding to go under the knife in 2018.
But in his book the 34-year-old revealed he cried for three days because he had gone against his beliefs.
"Every time I thought about what I did, I felt like I had failed myself," he said.
The Tennis Australia board finally released a statement on Tuesday about the Djokovic saga — though it didn't mention him by name. The governing body has been silent since Sunday as tennis fans demanded an explanation as to what went so wrong the world's best male tennis player could be told to fly Downunder then turned away.
"The board and Member Associations commend the Tennis Australia CEO and the entire Tennis Australia team for their hard work and dedication to delivering a spectacular summer of tennis," TA said.
"As the Australian tennis family, we recognise that recent events have been a significant distraction for everyone, and we deeply regret the impact this had on all players.
"There are always lessons to learn, and we will review all aspects of our preparation and implementation to inform our planning – as we do every year. That process always starts once the Australian Open champions have lifted their trophies.
"Australia has a strong and proud tennis tradition, and it has been fantastic to see the crowds out cheering for the world's best players in the lead up to and over the opening days of the Australian Open.
"We, like the players, and all tennis fans here and around the world, are keen for the focus to now be on the game we are all so passionate about."
