Novak Djokovic, champion of anti-vax bullshit and tennis alike, has been granted an ~exemption~ to play in the Australian Open despite breaking vaccination rules, and Aussies are pissed.
Just two months after Victorian government officials confirmed that unvaccinated players would not be allowed to compete in the Australian Open, infamously anti-vax Novak Djokovic has somehow managed to evade the rules and will be competing in Melbourne.
“Happy New Year, everybody!,” he wrote on social media on January 4.
“Wishing you all health, love, and happiness in every present moment and may you feel love & respect towards all beings on this wonderful planet.
“I’ve spent fantastic quality time with my loved ones over the break and today I’m heading Down Under with an exemption permission. Let’s go 2022 !!” he wrote.
Should I ignore the irony of wishing good health and then opposing vaccines during a pandemic? Sigh.
Happy New Year! Wishing you all health, love & joy in every moment & may you feel love & respect towards all beings on this wonderful planet.
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
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) January 4, 2022
ICYMI: Novak Djokovic is anti-vax and refused to reveal his vaccination status when it became mandated for certain games. He literally said “Personally I am not pro-vaccines,” and he also opposes vaccine mandates.
Gee, I wonder what force could allow a famous and rich man to bypass strict COVID rules and get his way? A mystery.
If you felt a viscerally enraged reaction to this news, you’re not alone. Aussies all over the country are furious at this blatant dismissal of COVID rules. Especially in Sydney where cases are hitting 20,000 on the daily, and Melbourne which experienced the world’s longest lockdown.
Twitter is alight with criticism of the move, with some calling out the very serious hurt and anger this ignites, especially for Aussies who have done the right thing throughout the pandemic and have still been fucked over.
After everything Victorians have been through, Novak Djokovic getting a vaccine exemption is nothing short of a kick in the guts. All those lockdowns, all that suffering. Seriously? #auspol
— Dr Kate Miller @drkatemiller@mastodon.social (@DrKate_Miller) 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
So Novak Djokovic is allowed into Australia to play in the open?
We’re doing the right thing by getting vaccinated, checking in etc…
But this “supposedly” unvaccinated douche bag is allowed into the country! Mind you stranded Aussies still can’t. #FuckSake— Anna 13 #VoteYes ✊✊🤘😈 (@anna_prole) January 4, 2022
Two years of not being able to see my family and we give Novak Fuckface Shit Cunt a fucking exemption???
— Tupac wanna fight you (@BundjalungBud) January 4, 2022
https://twitter.com/DennisCricket_/status/1478323421037531136?s=20
People will be going to bed right now to get up at 5am to do the right thing to get into testing queues for PCR results they won’t get for six days and will quarantine anyway. How bloody galling to see Novak get an exemption. Farcical https://t.co/UYDrp9NPFc
— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) January 4, 2022
i’m so mad. players who got sputnik, v vax, etc. can’t play because their vaccines aren’t government approved and a 17-year-old can’t play because their country doesn’t vaccinate minors, yet novak gets an exemption? did pierre-hugues hebert get one? no. so why should novak?
— president of lehečka micronation (@rubledever) January 4, 2022
People with loved ones who are dying / some needing urgent treatment cannot get into their own states. You tell people they can’t go to Coles or a cafe without being vaxxed but if you’re world number 1 you get a pass? Fucking disgrace. https://t.co/Sa2Jft6U8A
— Corey McKernan (@CoreyMcKernan) January 4, 2022
Others have no choice but to laugh at what a fucking joke this is.
Great to see Novak Djokovic will play in the Australian Open following an exemption permission. It’s tennis players who will get us through this pandemic.
— Titus O’Reily (@TitusOReily) January 4, 2022
https://twitter.com/MatthewBevan/status/1478456575538827266?s=20
Australian Open ballboys heading onto centre court for a Novak Djokovic match: pic.twitter.com/OvufsnsHEL
— Byron Kaye (@byronkaye) January 4, 2022
https://twitter.com/mathaiaus/status/1478322194488827904?s=20
https://twitter.com/thunderson23/status/1478321063775768579?s=20
Novak Djokovic awarded medical exemption to come to Australia unvaccinated after he contracted a serious case of being rich
— The Interns (@ChaserInterns) January 4, 2022
The only excuse I’ll accept for Novak getting an exemption is that he’s transporting 1.5 million RATs into the country in his arse.
— Kirsty Webeck 🦈 (@KirstyWebeck) January 4, 2022
Well, I hope Novak Djokovic is used to booing, because his welcoming into Australia is certainly going to be… something. I’m expecting pitchforks.
