Following Deyo's cancellation of his visa, the Australian Immigration Department yesterday cancelled the entry visa of a player who came to the Australian Open and sent him to the same hotel as Djokovic to be "detained" for repatriation.
The player whose visa was revoked was reportedly Renata Vorá ová, 38, of the Czech Republic. Unlike Djokovic, who was stopped at the airport, Volachova has entered and also played in the WTA250 Melbourne 2 doubles match in Melbourne on Wednesday (5 January), where she lost 2-6, 4-6 to a pair of Australian and Dutch multinationals in the first round.
"We're athletes and we're not here to play tennis to settle local disputes. We read all the rules, met all the conditions, and went through a lengthy process to get the exemption. Volakova said. She will leave Australia immediately.
According to Reuters, The head of the Australian Immigration Service, Karen Andrews, said that after Djokovic's visa was cancelled, they were investigating players who had previously entered the country with similar supporting documents to Djokovic to ensure they had not violated border rules.
Yesterday afternoon, an Australian Border Service official named Andrew Green said on social media: "It is believed that the Australian Tennis Association has previously issued vaccine exemption certificates to two other individuals who do not meet the Australian government's entry requirements and the Australian Border Service is investigating their cases".
After two days of fermentation, it is widely believed that the main reason for Deyo's visa cancellation is that the Victorian government where the Australian Open is located and the Australian federal government have inconsistent standards for "vaccine exemption".
Previously, Deyo submitted a "vaccine exemption" application to the relevant authorities in accordance with the requirements of the Australian Tennis Association and obtained approval from the State of Victoria, according to which the application was granted an entry visa.
Upon arrival at Melbourne Airport, the Australian Border Service considered that the supporting documents in Deyo's possession were insufficient to comply with the federal government's entry regulations and was cancelled.
Australian Prime Minister Morrison said that people entering Australia need to have a legal vaccination certificate, while those who have not been vaccinated must submit supporting documents and explain the reasons, which are checked and assessed by the Border Guard, and the reasons for unvaccinated must comply with the regulations of the Australian federal government.
"Deyo provided information to the airline to allow him to fly, but boarding the plane did not guarantee that he would be able to cross the Australian border." Morrison said.
So why are there players who hold documents similar to those in the Djokovic and are allowed to enter? For example, Volakova, who has already played in Melbourne and was cancelled her visa yesterday.
Morrison explained that Djokovic was not singled out, and that any additional scrutiny by USCIS was based on Djokovic's own actions. "When he speaks out and tells the public what he's going to do, he gets special attention, whether he's a celebrity, a politician, a tennis player or a journalist, whoever he is, he's likely to be asked more questions."
Djokovic's encounter provoked a backlash in his native Serbia, where the afternoon before more than a thousand people gathered in Nikola paksevic Square in the center of Belgrade to express their support for Djokovic, with a sign that read: "No border you can't cross without it".
Journalist Sasha Ozmo said the majority of respondents in Belgrade were extremely disappointed in Australia. The words of a lawyer named Uroš represent the sentiment of most people, "I don't remember such a serious scandal in the world of sport, where Deyo was humiliated in public, even though everything he did was carried out in accordance with the rules laid down by Australia." I sincerely believe that it is a shame that this kind of thing is impossible to happen in the 21st century. ”
The Serbian people were most dissatisfied with the treatment of Deyo, who accused the Australian federal and state governments of contradicting and prevaricating each other, and if Deyo's application had been rejected in the first place, the people would not have been as angry as they are now.
"This is not the behavior of a serious state. You are told to get a visa and you are welcome to come. But when you get to the border, they tell you the opposite. If I were Deyo, I would never set foot in Australia again. Godana, a retired doctor in Belgrade, said.
In addition to expressing support for the Djokovic, Serbs generally see the Djokovic as a "scapegoat" for political struggles, accusing Australian politicians of hoping to win more votes for the upcoming general election.
Not only Serbia, but also many people throughout the Balkans have expressed their support for Djokovic. Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic, a twice-name NBA All-Star, said in the media: "It's a joke", with former Liverpool player Croatian Dejan Lovren saying he is now "more looking forward to Djokovic winning his 21st Grand Slam title." (Source: Tennis House Author: Yun Cirrus YunShu)