Release Novak Djokovic

The left has finally decided they can stomach deportations, so long as they involve high-profile unvaccinated sports stars. Novak Djokovic, the number one ranked player in men’s professional tennis, is currently being detained by Australian authorities and is at risk of expulsion due to the country’s strict vaccine mandates. The Covid-obsessed are cheering.

Djokovic entered Australia this week to compete in the Australian Open, which he has won a record nine times. The event requires all players and staff to be vaccinated; however, players are offered exemptions for medical reasons or if they have tested positive for Covid in the past six months. Djokovic was reportedly granted a medical exemption, but the Australian government blocked his visa anyway, arguing that he did not also receive an exemption to enter the country.

Rafael Nadal, who is currently tied with rival Djokovic for the most Grand Slam titles ever, expressed zero sympathy for his potential opponent:

“He made his own decisions, and everybody is free to take their own decisions. But then there are some consequences… he knew the conditions since a lot of months ago, so he makes his own decision.”

Yes, Djokovic knew the rules. But when the rules are not based on science, it is right to challenge them.

Australia and the Australian Open insists that its vaccine mandates are necessary because unvaccinated individuals are a danger to others. This makes little sense considering vaccinated individuals can still catch and spread the virus; a recent study published in the Lancet found that vaccinated persons are only slightly less likely to catch the Delta variant of Covid and spread it at similar rates compared to unvaccinated persons. The Omicron variant is two to three times more likely to infect vaccinated people than Delta. In fact, Nadal tested positive for Covid just a few weeks ago. Despite his posturing, is he really less of a public health threat than Djokovic?

Public health officials keep telling us that the primary benefit of the vaccine is to prevent hospitalization and death post-infection. If that is the case, then the vaccine is more a matter of personal protection rather than a community benefit. Professional tennis players are young and in incredible shape. They are at a near-zero risk of developing severe side effects from Covid. Surely they can decide for themselves whether or not they need the vaccine.

Australia is treating its unvaccinated population like second-class citizens, forcing them out of their jobs and prohibiting them from leaving their house barring emergencies. The Melbourne hotel housing unvaccinated travelers as they await hearings and possible deportation — now including Djokovic — is known for its horrid conditions, including serving meals served with maggots. Even with the cruelly strict measures it’s taken to mitigate the virus, Australia’s case count is up 854 percent from two weeks ago. More than 80 percent of the Australian population is vaccinated.

The brainwashed Covid-addicts who race to get the latest booster shot and gleefully wear their ineffective cloth masks cannot admit that they have been lied to and mistreated. So, they turn all of their anger on a perfectly healthy athlete for wanting to run around on his own side of the court for a few hours. Release Djokovic, and let him play.