Unvaccinated Djokovic out of U.S. Open because he is not allowed to travel to States

Foreign citizens who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 are currently unable to enter the U.S or Canada,

Such a pathetic government as 4.9 million illegal aliens have crossed the border since Biden started.

Seems stupid that an unvaccinated American could play in this tournament, but the worlds greatest player can not.

Who made up those rules?

“This was a human error and certainly not deliberate.”

OK, too bad Australian immigration doesn't care. And it seems the same with the US's. Next?

How does that make me wrong?

The US government doesn't see him as an athlete, they see him as a non vaxxed non American. No favors here, just like the Australian government.

Most countries have sensibly dropped the requirement to show proof of vaccination. It's untenable at this stage given how significantly vaccine efficacy wanes over time. Those with a vaccination certificates from late 2020 (with no boosters) are effectively unvaccinated at this point, so any discrimination seems unreasonable.

Here is an article (URL below) talking about what countries you can visit without being vaxxed (with strings and including professional tennis players). Let's see. There are two possibilities (1) Novak is right and the developed world is wrong or (2) Novak is wrong and the developed world is right. Is it (1) or (2)?

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/vaccinated-travel-rules-holiday-covid-countries-b2036037.html

Just get vaxxed.

*I fight authority, Authority always wins*

(John Mellencamp)

Hear that Novak? Even with your professional career and your millions you still lose. Also, to any antivaxxer foreigner Trump people in Japan: You can stay in Japan unvaxxed all you want. What if you want to travel? Do you dare venture out and role the dice to see if you can return? Don't forget how strict Japan is.

How can some comment here and talk about vaccine reducing spread when it doesn't and hasn't.

It reduces hospitalization. It saves the healthcare systems. It saves lives so the ICU beds are saved for other patients.

Then what about it reduces chance of taking up a hospital bed. Laughable. 

Nick Cordero

Yes, it can happen to the young and fit too like this young and fit Broadway star. This was early on, but if Cordero had been vaxxed (if there had been a vax, seems there wasn't at the time) statistically he would still be alive, and anyone should read about his terrible experience.

Again, just about all countries have vax rules. To all the vax haters in Japan, I hope you have no international travel plans because it seems these countries are NOT budging and will have no sympathy to your anti-vax beliefs, not for Novak, not for anyone. It probably won't become less strict, but it could become MORE strict. Better vax up.

Governments don't care about people's feelings. What are antivaxxers worried about?

The mildest variant is still the one that has caused the most problems in total numbers

And to see how this is quantified, just see how stressed hospitals are with non vaxxed COVID patients (and they still are currently with this weaker variant from the non vaxxer patients in "total numbers"). I have no sympathy for anti vaxxer adults who end up in a very bad but preventable situations. But I do feel sorry for all the medical staffed stressed out because of these anti vaxxers. I also feel sorry for vaxxed patients who need hospitalization for something non-COVID but can't because the anti vaxxers are hogging up all the beds from their ideological beliefs.

NOVAK is setting a bad example, especially. He has to go and no government (around the world, including Japan) cares how he or anyone feels. Good riddance.

Cry me a river. This guy is such an old drama queen.

Get the damn jab like the rest of us - or don't play. Simple.

as Nadal said, all he had to do was get the jab.

drama queens not missed

But it was more complicated than that.

Simple according to the government....non vaxxers (and liars about diagnosis history) stay out, we don't care who you are

Is there some exception to tennis players we didn't hear about? Maybe so? Then how about just say you are an anti vax tennis player and they will let you in!! Could that work?

He'd applied for a medical exemption, as allowed by the government

Was he truthful on the application?

Also, there's no law that says rich people can't make more money.

Maybe he should say this on his application for non-vax exception. Do they a clause for that. He could say I'm anti vax, but rich and a famous tennis player and should be able to make more money. Would immigration go with that? I'm pretty sure they have auxiliary space on the immigration application form that would suffice. What would an immigration lawyer say?

It wasn't certain. That's why I used the word 'apparently.'

(If it was an honest mistake - bad data on the app. form) If it was found he was ineligible to be in Australia and he was considered a risk [he {a person and not a tennis player} should not be in Australia in the first place, then why is immigration's bad for them just doing their job?

But I know...Trump, Hilary, Rittenhouse...

Did Rittenhouse get a vaccine? Trump said to inject Mr. Clean. How is this Hillary's fault?

No, apparently his agent made a mistake about his travel history.

Did Novak fire him for that? I would have fired my agent if I got screwed over like that. Losing all those millions just because the agent made a simple application mistake. Then it was 100% the agent's fault then.

Hence I admitted my mistake.

Oh, OK

Oh well. The tournament, just like the world, moves on without you.

@Nada

Illogical. The vax has done little to stop the spread of COVID. And an athlete like Djokovic has almost zero chance of serious illness. No reason to not allow him entry.

Very illogical comment. The US does not need another known foreign superspreader bringing another virus to their country. Keep your dirty viruses at home with you.

What country do you know of that allows known infected foreigners to enter their country with no questions or quarantines unless actually entering for the specific purpose of getting treated for the disease?

Who made up those rules?

As stated by others, Immigration and Border Control, not the USTA.

Those are the rules, get vaxxed or stay away if you’re a non-resident immigrant a tourist or traveling athlete) and I don’t much care which you choose.

We have enough trouble with our own anti-vaxxer nut jobs without having to worry about one from overseas with a proven history of dishonesty and poor quarantine practices.

Good

Such a pathetic government as 4.9 million illegal aliens have crossed the border since Biden started.

Does that mean that Mexico has lost about 5% of its population by jumping Trump's unfinished wall? Don't forget it was Reagan who gave out 3 millions green cards.

Unvaccinated athletes can play in the tournament, but unvaccinated athletes aren't allowed in the country.

WRONG:

**All non-U.S. citizen, non-U.S. immigrants* traveling to the United States by air are required to show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19**.*

(CDC)

He's just a tennis player.

Vaccines won’t stop Covid but at least vaccinated people who do catch the virus are much less likely to develop severe symptoms.

Yes, and Trump people don't realize this.

 that don't even prevent infection or transmission. Good on him.

it reduces your chances of long covid and ending up in ICU, FACT.

antivaxxer logic is dumbfounding. Its like saying why should I wear a seat belt, it doesnt reduce my chances of getting in a car accident, yet dramatically increases your chances of serious injury and survival.

Possibly. Or he's standing up for his beliefs, and suffering the consequences as a result.

Who cares? He's still a millionaire. Don't feel sorry for him. He has enough money to last his lifetime unless he starts to live like a Russian Oligarch buying Tera-yachts, or something.

Possibly. Or he's standing up for his beliefs, and suffering the consequences as a result.

he can stand up for his beliefs, thats his prerogative , but to lie about it and make a it into a political scene, then he lost any of the remaining respect i had for the guy. It was sweet justice that vaxxed Nadal went on to win the OZ open. i do give him some respect for not making a scene this time around

He'd applied for a medical exemption, as allowed by the government, but don't let facts get in the way.

he applied for exemption in Australia, found to have lied about his vaccine status on him immigration card, that alone is enough for deportation. Courts ruled against him. NoVax was gone

That was to Tennis Australia.

I didn't realize Tennis Australia rules over the Australian Immigration.

No, apparently his agent made a mistake about his travel history.

Apparently? It doesn't sound so certain. Again, no forgiving when dealing with a cold hard government agency.

No, I don't think he was

See ya then. Next?

his agent made a mistake

OK, how did this happen. Novak said the correct information and his agent misunderstood and wrote down the wrong data? It's all the agent's bad? Did Novak even take a look at the app. form to verify the integrity of the information? If I were Novak I would have re-checked many times to make sure the app. form was correct. I would have even had any medical staff back it up to make sure the information was correct.

If I were Novak, I'd have been sitting back in my first class seat trusting (wrongly, as it turns out in this case, and if the story is to be believed) my staff to take care of all the mundane details while I sipped an ice cold beer.

Is that agent still employed? I still want to know the details on how this mistake happened. He was having a beer while this mistake was happened. What actually did happen? Novak said the correct information and the agent misheard? Is that what happened? Immigration does not care, if you are not vaxxed and/or you are entered based on wrong info, you are out.

I was just wondering what they had to do with Djokovic playing (or not) in the US Open.

If Novak were a Hillary person he would have played in Australia because Hillary people believe in Science and and not anti-vax. Then Trump people would call him a Liberal/socialist tennis player.

Good... No antivaxxers allowed

Vaccines won’t stop Covid but at least vaccinated people who do catch the virus are much less likely to develop severe symptoms.

unvaxxed are 7-8 times more likely to end up in ICU, facts backed up by multiple studies in multiple countries.

its about keeping pressure off overcrowded hospitals , so normal everyday emergencies can get a bed.

My mother inlaw had to have a kidney operation in 2020, but was continually held off because of covid patients, it wasnt until the pain was unbearable she had to be admitted and a emergency operation, it nearly killed her.

I'm not a Djokovic fan, and I think he should just get the shot - although it's his choice, obviously, but I kind of admire him in this.

did people admire him when he lied to Australia immigration about his vaccine status, and was kicked out because he was caught in that lie!? Seems like he learnt from his last frackup and decided to not make a scene this time around

Actually the reports in Japan, New Zealand, for example, show the opposite, according to global experts. That's the reality and anyone trying to counter that is a science denier.

What reports, what experts, claiming something that contradicts the scientific consensus and then failing to provide any evidence of that claim is much more validly a science denier.

So, any reference? any expert that says there is no reduction of infection or transmission?

You're welcome, I guess. Geez.

no need to be polite when the facts are clear as day

Denying the reality of the situation doesn't make your false claims true.

What reality? zero sources and zero experts? the one denying that is obviously you.

Science deniers and conspiracy theorists rely on "facts" they create

Yes, like saying experts and reports support their false claims, but this is very easy to debunk, when asked for them the science deniers just make up excuses and false accusations instead of bringing any.

Illogical. The vax has done little to stop the spread of COVID. And an athlete like Djokovic has almost zero chance of serious illness. No reason to not allow him entry.

What reports, what experts, claiming something that contradicts the scientific consensus and then failing to provide any evidence of that claim is much more validly a science denier.

So, any reference? any expert that says there is no reduction of infection or transmission?

Anyone reading the news about Covid cases skyrocketing in New Zealand, or anyone living in Japan, or reading JT will see the daily reports of Covid cases that are at record highs here.

So, we are not seeing:

a significative reduction of infection and transmission thanks to the vaccines

Simple science; people try and deny it, but facts don't care about feelings.

My mother inlaw had to have a kidney operation in 2020, but was continually held off because of covid patients, it wasnt until the pain was unbearable she had to be admitted and a emergency operation, it nearly killed her

Similar to my mother. She requires frequent hospital treatment and this was interrupted by hospitals overwhelmed by Covid patients who, as you posted, were more likely to be the unvaccinated. She was a productive member of society and paid for a health system most of her life only to see it getting battered by the less intelligent, less productive members of society through personal choice.

I still believe in a society which gives everyone a fair chance and the basics, but the dregs really do test your patience on this.

How can some comment here and talk about vaccine reducing spread when it doesn't and hasn't. Anywhere! Are you not looking at daily numbers in Japan? Posted every day. Or numbers in every other highly vaxxed country. It didn't reduce spread anywhere but let's keep on pretending it does.

Then what about it reduces chance of taking up a hospital bed. Laughable. How many elite sportsmen in 30s are ending up in hospital because of this? Percentage please.

And I think an elite multimillionaire athlete could afford to go private if the need ever arose.

But it wouldn't. Not only because given his health status and age the risk is non existent. Nor the fact omicron is the mildest variant we have had. But also remember he has had covid twice already. Indeed, he even won Wimbledon after despite not being vaxxed and presumably having a double dose of long covid. Impressive indeed.

How can some comment here and talk about vaccine reducing spread when it doesn't and hasn't.

It does, and it has, according to clear scientific evidence. Nobody has said it can, by itself, completely stops spreading, but the argument that it does help is sound and supported by the declarations of well respected institutions of medicine around the world.

Are you not looking at daily numbers in Japan? 

What is this supposed to prove? which what unvaccinated Japanese population are you comparing these numbers to say there would be no difference? without this you can't argue that without vaccination the numbers on Japan would not be higher.

Then what about it reduces chance of taking up a hospital bed. Laughable. How many elite sportsmen in 30s are ending up in hospital because of this? Percentage please.

And why limit the risk only to sportsmen? do you believe covid would be specifically transmitted only to them?

Nor the fact omicron is the mildest variant we have had. But also remember he has had covid twice already. 

The mildest variant is still the one that has caused the most problems in total numbers, and this may be already obvious, but saying someone has been infected and reinfected already is a terribly bad argument to prove he could not be reinfected... again.

No doubt he isn't vaccinated against polio either, so he's just avoiding the recent polio outbreak in NY by staying away.

He has the right to choose not to be vaccinated.

He doesn't have any right to travel to places where vaccination for entry is a requirement. I have little sympathy for his situation. He could be using his celebrity to help the world, but he isn't.

Novak is smart and doesn't want to participate in the mass clinical trials of drugs that don't even prevent infection or transmission. Good on him.

This guy is a moron. What, he’s a child who is scared of needles? Vaccines won’t stop Covid but at least vaccinated people who do catch the virus are much less likely to develop severe symptoms. And what good has Seria done for the world? One over entitled tennis player?

Tournaments loss, it won't have the world's best talent.

Indeed. But some people might end up watching the tournament anyway, just to see who will get a heart attack, just like some people watch car races for the crashes or hockey games for the fights...

Double standards as usual the land of the free???

what a joke of a country!

Tournaments loss, it won't have the world's best talent.

Gotta admire a man who sticks to his principles.

As long as he accepts the consequences of his actions, too bad his principles did not include make honest declarations to the Australian authorities when he disobeyed the requirements for his visa.

Illogical. The vax has done little to stop the spread of COVID

Reports clearly indicate a significative reduction of infection and transmission thanks to the vaccines, the problem is not that not vaccinating is more risky for the people doing this choice, but also that it increase the risk for others, so governments are justified on not promoting this choice.

Now that the world knows vaccines don't stop the spread in any way why do they care who else is vaccinated and who isn't? 

So do you expect countries to stop making seatbelts obligatory because they did not stop drivers from dying in accidents?

There is a huge difference between something not being absolutely effective and that something being completely uneffective. Vaccines also reduce infection and transmission according to the data published by the experts, so it is still well justified to ask for vaccination to limit the problem even if the measure would not stop it completely by itself.

 and the newer variants aren't nearly as serious as proven in the numbers.

Just look at how many people have died when each variant is predominant, that will let you know they are much more serious than what you think they are.

It is also important to remember that there is no guarantee a new variant will not appear, or that it will not be more dangerous than the current ones. If vaccines reduce the chances of these variants to be developed then that is another reason why people should vaccinate.

Foreign citizens who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 are currently unable to enter the U.S or Canada, and Djokovic has said he won’t get the shots, even if that prevents him from playing in certain tournaments.

Nutty US rule; after Serena loses in the first round, this won't be such an interesting tournament to watch.

Reports clearly indicate a significative reduction of infection and transmission thanks to the vaccines, the problem is not that not vaccinating is more risky for the people doing this choice, but also that it increase the risk for others, so governments are justified on not promoting this choice.

Actually the reports in Japan, New Zealand, for example, show the opposite, according to global experts. That's the reality and anyone trying to counter that is a science denier.