Novak Djokovic: Australia’s prime minister “made a laughingstock on the world stage”?

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Prime Minister Scott Morrison
Australia’s prime minister “made a laughing stock on the world stage”? Demands for resignation are getting louder

When Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morisson (photo) intervened in the Novak Djokovic case, he “made a laughing stock of Australia on the world stage”

© Lukas Coch / AAP / DPA

The back and forth about Australia issuing a visa to tennis player Novak Djokovic is now also reaching politics. With Senator Kristina Keneally, the first opposition voices are now demanding that Prime Minister Scott Morrison draw political consequences from the case.

The Novak Djokovic case in Australia seems to have been legally decided. His participation in the Australian Open 2022 is not possible because his vaccination status has remained unclear. However, the path to this decision raises questions both inside and outside Australia. How could a legally manageable case cause such great difficulties? In any case, the reactions of Australian politicians to the case could not be more different.

Novak Djokovic in summer 2021

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Australia’s politicians react to the Novak Djokovic case

Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison has welcomed the court decision against tennis star Novak Djokovic in a first statement. “Now it’s time to continue with the Australian Open and enjoy the summer of tennis again,” wrote the Prime Minister on Facebook on Sunday. Shortly before, the federal court had rejected Djokovic’s objection to the cancellation of his visa. The 34-year-old has to leave Australia and will not take part in the tournament, which starts on Monday.

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The Serbian tennis star is fighting his deportation from Australia at practically the last minute after his entry visa was canceled. Lawyers for the world number one appealed against the visa withdrawal before a court in Melbourne on Thursday afternoon (local time), like the Australian news portal "The Age" reported. Accordingly, they were still gathering documents and should be heard by Judge Anthony Kelly later in the day. Djokovic traveled to Australia with a highly controversial medical exemption and landed in Melbourne late Wednesday evening (local time) to take part in the Australian Open. The tournament starts on January 17th. However, the Australian border protection authority refused him regular entry – and instead had the 34-year-old brought to a hotel for those who had to leave the country. Djokovic should start his journey home on Thursday.

Novak Djokovic

The Serbian tennis star is fighting his deportation from Australia at practically the last minute after his entry visa was canceled. Lawyers for the world number one appealed against the visa withdrawal before a court in Melbourne on Thursday afternoon (local time), as reported by the Australian news portal “The Age”. Accordingly, they were still gathering documents and should be heard by Judge Anthony Kelly later in the day. Djokovic traveled to Australia with a highly controversial medical exemption and landed in Melbourne late Wednesday evening (local time) to take part in the Australian Open. The tournament starts on January 17th. However, the Australian border protection authority refused him regular entry – and instead had the 34-year-old brought to a hotel for those who had to leave the country. Djokovic should start his journey home on Thursday.

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The decision was made for reasons of “health, safety and order,” Morrison wrote. It was done “in the public interest”. “Strong borders are fundamental to the Australian way of life – as is the rule of law.”

However, some Australian opposition politicians doubt whether the cited rule of law has actually been upheld in Australia. Sen. Kristina Keneally tweeted: “Mr Morrison has made a laughing stock of himself through a long string of failures on the world stage when he and his government intervened in the case of Novak Djokovic, undermining Australia’s border security laws and the anti-vaccination movement was encouraged.”

Britain’s BBC quoted Keneally as summing up: “This mess is not a failure of our laws. It is a failure of the competence and leadership of the Morrison Government. It is time for Mr Morrison to go.”

Chances of appointment low

Participation in the Australian Open in Melbourne, which Djokovic has already won nine times, is now denied to the first in the world rankings. Djokovic wanted to be the first tennis player to win the 21st Grand Slam title at the tournament. According to a report by the AAP news agency, an appeal to the High Court, Australia’s highest court, would have been possible. The chances of success were slim anyway.

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