Tennis Star Djokovic Held Captive in Australia?

Should the Serbian government send in elite commandos for a stealth rescue?

If you are a political leader or a celebrity, and you’re looking for some media attention, here’s a method that works every time. Simply flaunt the pesky rules that the rest of us obey. And then get caught. Remember when Governor Gavin Newsom was photographed dining out at a posh restaurant in violation of the COVID-19 safety protocol that he imposed on Californians? Such behaviors only reinforce the recognition that many entitled folks believe that rules apply to the hoi polloi, but not to them.

Presently, tennis superstar Novak Djokovic is being detained in Melbourne, Australia after his visa was cancelled upon his arrival. There will be a court hearing tomorrow that will rule if the government can proceed with deportation. Djokovic, whose ranking is number one on the planet, arrived to compete in the Australian Open, one of tennis’s four major tournaments. Djokovic is keen to compete since a win there would grant him the record of the most wins in singles in major tennis tournaments.

Djokovic May Soon Be Hoppin' Back to the Airport!

Djokovic, who apparently has not been vaccinated against COVID-19, arrived having received a medical exemption for declining vaccination. The Australian government has very specific criteria for what constitutes a medical exemption. While it is true that he was granted an exemption, the waiver was granted by groups who have ties to the tennis tournament. In other words, the exemption personnel may have had more fidelity to the tournament than they did to adhering to public health rules and restrictions. Djokovic apparently was granted a medical waiver on the basis of a positive COVID-19 PCR test result last month. However, the government does not recognize this as an exception and communicated this to the Australian tennis authorities in November 2021.

Presumably, the Australian federal government has primacy with regard to COVID-19 and border entry policies.

Now, of course, the issue has been internationalized with Djokovic supporters in Serbia and elsewhere claiming he is being held captive. He is free to leave at any time.

The Australian citizenry is inflamed at the prospect that an elite athlete is angling for special treatment.

Based on my knowledge of the issue, I anticipate that deportation will be deemed lawful. Djokovic may expect special treatment, but he deserves the same treatment and outcome that the rest of us would receive. After all, an athlete of his stature and accomplishment should understand why rules and fairness are so important.

Comments

Becoming a Part-Time Physician

Next month my schedule will change. I will henceforth be off on Fridays with my work week truncated to Monday through Thursday. I am excited to be enjoying a long weekend every weekend. And while the schedule change is relatively minor, this event does feel like an important career moment for me. It is the first step on a journey that will ultimately lead beyond my professional career. It is this recognition that makes this modest schedule modification more significant than one would think it deserves. As some readers know, my current employed position has been a dream job for me. Prior to this, I was in a small private practice, which I loved, but was much more challenging professionally and personally. My partner and I ran the business. Working nights, weekends and holidays were routine for decades. On an on-call night, if I slept through until morning, I felt as if I had won the lottery. And w...

When Should Doctors Retire?

I am asked with some regularity whether I am aiming to retire in the near term. Years ago, I never received such inquiries. Why now? Might it be because my coiffure and goatee – although finely-manicured – has long entered the gray area? Could it be because many other even younger physicians have given up their stethoscopes for lives of leisure? (Hopefully, my inquiring patients are not suspecting me of professional performance lapses!) Interestingly, a nurse in my office recently approached me and asked me sotto voce that she heard I was retiring. “Interesting,” I remarked. Since I was unaware of this retirement news, I asked her when would be my last day at work. I have no idea where this erroneous rumor originated from. I requested that my nurse-friend contact her flawed intel source and set him or her straight. Retirement might seem tempting to me as I have so many other interests. Indeed, reading and ...

Will Smarter Lawyers End Frivolous Lawsuits?

How do you know if a lawyer is any good? Of course, they've all passed the bar, but now their profession is lowering it. While most of us strive for excellence, and raise our children to value this virtue, prominent legal educators are establishing a new quality intitiative for their profession. Who says that lawyers can't reform themselves? Perhaps, we physicians can follow their bold example and raise the credentials of our pre-medical students. I’ll present the facts. You be the judge. I have written a dozen posts on tort reform on this blog, which always generate spirited and adversarial retorts from attorneys and their supporters. They accuse me and other tort reform advocates of carrying water for insurance companies. They repeatedly point out that I know nothing about the legal system and are unqualified to opine on its flaws. They deride me when I argue that effective tort reform would reduce the practice of defensive medicine, despite the re...

MD Whistleblower

Search This Blog