Australian Open 2022: How Novak Djokovic gained exemption to play at Melbourne Park
The federal opposition leader has called for “full and transparent explanation” of Novak Djokovic’s exemption. So why is the Australian Open witholding information surrounding his entry.
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Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley has come out in defence of the decision to grant Novak Djokovic an exemption to compete at this year’s Australian Open amid furious backlash.
Players, fans and locals have slammed the decision that will see the world No 1 contest the first slam of the year despite not confirming his vaccination status.
After a saga lasting several months and accelerated in recent weeks, Djokovic last night (Tuesday) confirmed he will compete at Melbourne Park.
It comes with a caveat: Djokovic revealed that he successfully applied for and received a medical exemption that means he won’t have to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
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The Serbian superstar had repeatedly refused over the past few months since the mandate was put in place to say whether he was vaccinated or if he was going to contest the Australian Open.
But Djokovic ended tennis’ biggest mystery and storyline on Tuesday night, when he posted on his personal Instagram page that he was “heading Down Under with an exemption permission”.
The news has infuriated Australians with thousands taking to social media to vent about the decision amid records case numbers, shortages of RATs and PCR testing available to them.
Federal opossite leader Anthony Albanese on Wednesday demanded a “full and transparent explanation” for the exemption.
“I’m very concerned about this decision,” the federal Labor leader said.
“It makes no sense to me, when Australians are making extraordinary sacrifices, to see an elite tennis player allowed to participate in the system.
“And I don’t think it’ll make any sense to those healthcare workers who are working their guts out each and every day. Those people who’ve been out there promoting vaccinations.”
Acting Premier Jacinta Allen said it was “the Victorian government’s expectation” that Novak Djokovic provide a public explanation for his entry into Australia.
“It’s up to Novak Djokovic to explain to the Victorian and Australian community the privilege of coming here and playing in a really important event in our city, state and country and the motivations behind his actions,” she said.
“It’s the decent thing to do.”
Players have also questioned the decision with Jamie Murray - brother of Andy - calling out the double standard: “I think if it was me that wasn’t vaccinated, I wouldn’t be getting an exemption.”
Aussie young gun Alex De Minaur sidestepped the issue as best he could.
“It‘s just very interesting, that’s all I’m going to say. But, hey, it is what it is,” the Australian said after his loss to Daniil Medvedev at the ATP Cup in Sydney on Tuesday night.
“I just hope that the other players that I heard there were other cases as well, they got exemptions, so I hope they will all fit the criteria.”
WHAT IS THE BIG BOSS SAYING?
Responding to the outrage this morning, Tiley told the Today show he empathised with those upset with the decision but insisted all protocols had been followed.
“As an organisation and as a sport, we’ve done what everyone else does and would do if they wanted to come to Australia and under certain conditions,” he said.
“And we have abided by those conditions and I know Australia’s had the most comprehensive response to Covid of any nation in the world. And our governments have done everything they humanly possibly can to keep us safe.
“It’s ultimately the decision of the medical experts an we follow that accordingly. In this case, Novak made that application. And like others, there’s been 26 athletes and their primary support staff that have made applications and handful of those have been granted by the panel.
“The conditions in which any tennis player comes in, no matter who they are, are conditions that have been put on tennis and put on anyone coming into Australia by the Australian government.”
Happy New Year! Wishing you all health, love & joy in every moment & may you feel love & respect towards all beings on this wonderful planet.
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) January 4, 2022
I’ve spent fantastic quality time with loved ones over break & today I’m heading Down Under with an exemption permission. Let’s go 2022! pic.twitter.com/e688iSO2d4
Authorities have refused to state exactly how many of the 26 applications had been approved.
Acting Sport and Major Events Minister Jaala Pulford said she acknowledged the community anger around the matter.
But she said the exemption process was subject to an “incredibly robust” process, and that no tennis players received special treatment.
“I think lots of people in the Victorian community will find this to be a disappointing outcome, but the process is the process,” she said.
“Nobody has had special treatment, the process is incredibly robust, it’s de-identified and we are where we are.
“This will be frustrating for people but it is what it is in some respects.”
Ms Pulford said it was the “extraordinary actions” of all Victorians that allowed the Australian Open to go ahead as planned.
“I’m really pleased that the tournament can go ahead.”
When asked if she was personally supportive of Djokovic playing, Ms Pulford said: “I’m sort of more of a Rafa person to be honest, and I’m mad for Barty so that’s where I’ll be (but) ... This is not a process that exists for one person.”
Novak Djokovic’s exemption is a matter for the Victorian government, Scott Morrison says.
Asked if the move was appropriate, the Prime Minister said: “They have provided him with an exemption to come to Australia, and so we then act in accordance with that decision”.
“That’s been happening for the last two years. So there’s no change to that arrangement,” Mr Morrison said.
Immediately after the news was confirmed, one hypothesis doing the rounds was that Djokovic had contracted Covid for a second time within the last six months and would therefore not qualify for the vaccine.
Tiley alluded to this being one example of why an exemption would be given.
“If they met the guidelines, including, for example, which a lot of people forget, is one of those conditions is having had Covid, recently in the past six months, and so any person that met those conditions are allowed to come in,” Tiley added.
“So there’s been no special favour. There’s been no special opportunity granted to Novak or there would be to any tennis player. In fact, there’s been a process that goes above and beyond the normal process for everyone.”
Tiley concluded by saying Djokovic was under no obligation to make public the reasons for his exemption and would not “disclose the details of his private conversations”.
“We have been through a very tough period over the past two years and we would appreciate some answers to that,” he said.
“Novak constantly has said that his medical condition and situation is private to him. At any point that he decides to disclose that, he will. We’re not going to force anyone to do that.”
Mr Tiley said Djokovic had not acted “stubbornly and selfishly” throughout the ordeal.
“He’s done what anyone would do when they’re required to come into Australia,” he said.
“Whatever the panel requested of him, I’m sure he’s provided them.”
Under the exemption, Djokovic will not be required to quarantine.
HOW DID HE GET THE EXEMPTION?
While thousands of Australian have been locked out of their country, unable to visit loved ones and even go to a cafe unless fully vaccinated, it’s a slap in the face that Djokovic has been admitted. So the overnight developments are an interesting change in tact.
Government sources insisted that a “rigorous” two-step independent process had been used to assess requests for medical exemptions at the Australian Open.
Tennis Australia experts were required to assess requests before it went to the independent medical panel.The panel is made up of three highly qualified medical professionals, with expertise in cardiology, sports medicine and immunology, according to the government spokesman.
Shortly after Djokovic’s anouncement on Instagram, Aus Open organisers released a statement.
“Djokovic applied for a medical exemption which was granted following a rigorous review process involving two separate independent panels of medical experts,” the statement said.
“One of those was the Independent Medical Exemption Review Panel appointed by the Victorian Department of Health. They assessed all applications to see if they met the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation guidelines.”
The process also said players were not obliged to make their exemptions public.
Tiley confirmed on Sunday that there were players who had told him they received exemptions.
At that stage, Tiley said he was still unaware whether Djokovic would head to Melbourne or not – but foreshadowed an imminent announcement.
The final TA-organised charter flights are set to arrive in Australia this week.
“Fair and independent protocols were established for assessing medical exemption applications that will enable us to ensure Australian Open 2022 is safe and enjoyable for everyone,” Tiley said on Tuesday night.
“Central to this process was that the decisions were made by independent medical experts and that every applicant was given due consideration.”
GERARD UNLOADS
Among those voicing their disapppointment with the decision, Gerard Whateley tore strips off those responsible.
“It’s so brazen in its secrecy and that way it was announced,” he said on SEN.
“It wasn’t owned by authority, it was left for Djokovic to post himself and then behind that came an official statement. That tells you about tennis – players own the sport.
“If the decision holds any credibility then those who made it should publicly own it and explain it as much as possible without breaching medical rules.
“Regrettably this year’s Australian Open just doesn’t share the values that our community has adopted or had imposed on them for so long. It is absolutely in breach of the standards of our community and disrespectful of the laws put in place.
“It tells us if you’re an unvaccinated Victorian that has lost their job, if you’re stuck in this never ending queue for a test, it simply tells you you are not as important as Djokovic. You live by a different set of rules and that should make you feel uncomfortable.”
CONTRADICTORY CLAIMS?
It was only last month that Victorian Deputy Premier James Merlino insisted that medical exemptions were “not a loophole for privileged tennis players”.
“It is a medical exemption in exceptional circumstances if you have an acute medical condition,” Merlino said at a news conference.
“Everyone’s looking forward to the Australian Open and everyone who will attend – spectators, players, officials, staff – is expected to be fully vaccinated. They’re the rules.”
At a similar point in time, Victorian Premier Dan Andrews said: “Those (grand slam) titles won’t protect you either. The only title that will protect you is that you can be able to say you’ve had your first dose and you’ve had your second dose,” he said.
“The notion of you getting in here without being vaccinated I think is very, very low.”
Andrews added that the same rules would apply for spectators and players.
“All the people who are watching the tennis at the Australian Open, they’re going to be double-vaxxed, all the people that work there are going to be double-vaxxed. It stands to reason that if you want to get into the country to be part of that tournament, then you should be double-vaxxed as well.”
There were conflicting reports out of Djokovic’s native Serbia about whether he would receive an exemption, with some even suggesting he was knocked back.
But vision of the 34-year-old training in Marbella, Spain, at the weekend with Australian Open Dunlop tennis balls was the strongest hint he still intended to come to Melbourne.
He has already won a record nine Australian Open singles titles, but an even more prestigious honour awaits if he can triumph in Melbourne again this month.
Though we now know that Djokovic plans to play the #AusOpen, there will still be considerable speculation about the legitimacy of his exemption.
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 4, 2022
What “acute major medical condition,†as listed here by Australian authorities, could a healthy #1-ranked athlete have? pic.twitter.com/Qe12SWTMJo
Wonder how she feels now that Novak Djokovic has received a medical exemption to compete https://t.co/I1S2irnMBk
— Jessie (@jessiehosking) January 4, 2022
Australians have been denied for two years, but this bloke - who’s taken extraordinary liberties in the face of the coronavirus - gets his exemption. Novak Djokovic is an all-time great, but he ain’t essential.
— Andy Maher (@AndyMaherDFA) January 4, 2022
Djokovic’s 20 grand slam singles titles overall have him level in first place all-time with his great rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, meaning he could move into the outright lead within weeks.
Federer is recovering from a knee injury and won’t be at the event but Nadal has shaken off a bout of Covid-19 to arrive in Melbourne for his own title assault.
Tiley has consistently distanced himself from the medical exemption process, while saying he was in regular contact with, and explaining the strict conditions to, Djokovic’s team.
They need to boycott Novak Djokovic. Hoping all players to withdraw the #AusOpen
— James3 🇵🇠👊🽠(@Son0faBeach305) January 4, 2022
Soft. 🤦ðŸ»
Not one to get political but… pretty speechless. @DanielAndrewsMP can I please get “exemption permission†and a tennis racquet for next Christmas? #AusOpen#Covid19Vic#Covid19#novakdjokovic#novak#Novaxpic.twitter.com/lApmd9qH1V
— Haydn O'Connor (@hoc90) January 4, 2022
How smug is he!
— Bill Stingas (@bsting72) January 4, 2022
He’s definitely underestimated the Victorian public because the vitriol coming his way will be incredible, but unsurprising. #novakdjokovichttps://t.co/nWOirBcrRY
Novak Djokovic being given a ‘medical exemption’ to compete at the Australian Open is an absolute disgrace. A slap in the face to everyone in Australia & outside who have got vaccination
— Janet Kearns (@Jan2555) January 4, 2022
But he always maintained that he did not know whether the tennis legend was vaccinated and that it was none of his business.
“We want to have the best players here, so I’d love to have Novak at the event,” Tiley said last month.
“We always want to have that – it doesn’t matter who it is. But there are conditions of entry, so if he meets those conditions, great. If he doesn’t, it’s unfortunate.”
Already a polarising figure, Djokovic’s reception in Australia once he surfaces will be a source of fascination.
Amid global backlash to the decision, Djokovic did garner some support from his peers.
Australian tennis player Bernard Tomic was slammed with a slew of comments lashing what appeared to be a message of support for Djokovic on Instagram.
“21,” he wrote on Djokovic’s post, with four Australian flag emojis, appearing to reference the Serbian’s star’s grand slam count and tilt at the most titles ever.
Tomic, who has in recent weeks ramped up his social media presence and declared his intention to launch himself to the top of the game, was swiftly rebuked and accused of “supporting an anti-vaxxer”.
Meanwhile, Tennys Sandgren - who has withdrawn from the tournament because of the policy - tweeted “I hope he wins the whole thing.”
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