Novak Djokovic, the top tennis player in the world, is expected to spend his weekend in an immigration detention hotel in Australia after his exemption to the country’s strict COVID-19 vaccine rules was denied. The video above shows the announcement from Australia’s health minister, as well as reaction from Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Djokovic’s mother. Djokovic, who was traveling to compete in the Australian Open later this month, has a court hearing next Monday to determine whether he will get to compete or be deported.
“Since yesterday, last 24 hours, they are keeping him as a prisoner. It’s just not fair. It’s not human,” Djokovic’s mother Dijana said Thursday. The president of Serbia, Djokovic’s homeland, called on Australian officials “to let Novak Djokovic move out from this horrific hotel into a rented home where he can prepare for the tournament while he is awaiting a court decision” on his vaccine exemption.
The controversy began when officials in the state of Victoria granted Djokovic, who has been a vocal skeptic of COVID vaccines, the vaccine exemption. This exemption caused an uproar and triggered allegations of special treatment.
“There should be no special rules for Novak Djokovic at all, none whatsoever,” Prime Minister Morrison said Wednesday. “He’ll be treated no different to anyone else. And my view is he should be treated no different to anyone else.”
Later that day, the Australian Border Force (ABF) rejected his exemption as invalid after looking at “the integrity and the evidence behind it.” Djokovic was then barred from entering the country.
“The ABF can confirm that Mr. Djokovic failed to provide appropriate evidence to meet the entry requirements to Australia and visa has been subsequently cancelled,” Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt said Thursday. “Yes, it is tough but it is fair and it’s equitable and it’s one rule for all under this Australian government.”
Serbian President Aleksander Vucic lambasted the ABF decision, calling it “political persecution.”
“I’m afraid that this kind of political ranting against Novak Djokovic will continue,” Vucic said. “They want to prove something else. When you can’t beat someone then you do these kind of things.”
This isn’t the first time an unvaccinated athlete has made headlines. Kyrie Irving, Aaron Rodgers and Antonio Brown have all faced their own controversies pertaining to COVID-19 vaccination.