(Reuters) – Following are reactions to Novak Djokovic being refused entry to Australia to play the Australian Open:
AUSTRALIAN BORDER FORCE STATEMENT
“Djokovic failed to provide appropriate evidence to meet the entry requirements to Australia, and his visa has been subsequently cancelled.
“Non-citizens who do not hold a valid visa on entry, or who have had their visa cancelled, will be detained and removed from Australia.”
AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER SCOTT MORRISON ON TWITTER
“Djokovic’s visa has been cancelled. Rules are rules, especially when it comes to our borders. No one is above these rules.
“Our strong border policies have been critical to Australia having one of the lowest death rates in the world from COVID, we are continuing to be vigilant.”
SERBIAN PRESIDENT ALEKSANDAR VUCIC ON INSTAGRAM
“I told our Novak that the whole of Serbia is with him and that our bodies are doing everything to see that the harassment of the world’s best tennis player is brought to an end immediately.
“In line with all norms of international law, Serbia will fight for Novak, truth and justice. Novak is strong, as we all know.”
FORMER AUSTRALIAN OPEN CHIEF EXECUTIVE PAUL MCNAMEE ON TWITTER
“For those asking, all players go through the same visa process overseen by Tennis Australia to play the Australian Open (as non Australians are currently not able to enter). So it beggars belief that Djokovic is the only player that has had his visa granted and then rescinded.”
UKRAINIAN TENNIS PLAYER SERGIY STAKHOVSKY ON TWITTER
“When next time somebody will tell you ‘Sports is not interfering with politics’ you remember the 6Jan2022 when purely political ‘ego’ is not allowing best tennis player in the world to enter the country to which … ‘governmental institutions’ granted entry.”
AMERICAN TENNIS PLAYER TENNYS SANDGREN ON TWITTER
“Just to be crystal clear here, two separate medical boards approved his exemption. And politicians are stopping it. Australia doesn’t deserve to host a grand slam.”
TENNIS WRITER BEN ROTHENBERG ON TWITTER
“Whatever happens as this unfolds here, this is completely Novak Djokovic’s fault for not getting the vaccine in the first place, which he had ‘months’ to do.
“Best case scenario for everyone would have been a vaxxed Novak playing the #AusOpen with no drama. He chose against that.”
(Compiled by Nick Mulvenney; Editing by Stephen Coates)
