Perspective: Injustice Down Under Is Not Surprising

The Novak Djokovic Vaccination Scandal

As the drama regarding Novak Djokovic’s visa issue drags on down under aka Australia we wonder why so many twists and turns. The noted tennis star is antivaxer.  He has publicly expressed his opposition to the vaccination process. Australia has very strong as vaccination rules.  They have been very successful at stemming the spread of the coronavirus.

In a bizarre twist of events defending tennis Champion Novak Djokovic has been ordered released from detention in Australia.  Are you really surprised at this new development?

It was Martin Luther King Jr. who long declared that:

 “Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere”

He was quite clear on how he saw injustice likely not only in the United States Of America (USA), but injustice in general. This utterance by King has long been repeatedly quoted by many writers and academics and is seen as the gold standard as it relates to the application of justice and by extension fair play.

Exemption

We have been told that the Tennis star has travelled to Australia to defend his title and was granted a medical exemption by doctors or medical facilities in Australia. We are now hearing other sounds.

Released 

Justice should happen everywhere. This should apply even down under. We have heard of strange occurrences happening but of all the places on earth, down under.  For example, the Interior Minister of Australia, has declared that the Tennis star can leave whenever he wishes as he is not being detained. Yet we are hearing that a hearing is set for Monday, January 10, 2022 to determine if her will be deported or not.  What is happening here?  Has the noted tennis star violated any immigration statutes in Australia, how come the idea of deportation is being talked about?

We were told that the star is being held in a detention hotel in Australia.  Are you free to travel while being held captive?

Let us get real here folks and not take us all for granted.  You are either a detainee or a free citizen to go about your affairs or not. It cannot be both ways.

Fraud

We are now hearing following another twist that Novak Djokovic has misrepresented facts by incriminating himself by making false statements on his immigration declaration form. This matter is yet to be decided. Will Novak Djokovic’s immigration nightmare in Australia ever come to a conclusion?

Latest Twist

We understand that the Australian government is considering revoking the visa of Novak Djokovic on the grounds that he committed fraud on his immigration declaration application form.

Commentary

We hope sports does not get mixed up with politics.  That would be sad indeed.

Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie is a poet, elegist, author, and senior international journalist who writes for Vision newspaper.