World

‘The Daily’: Why the Djokovic case is about more than athletes and vaccines.

Novak Djokovic, the world No. 1-ranked player in men’s tennis, had a lot at stake going into this year’s Australian Open. If he were to win, the Grand Slam would be his 21st, making him the most decorated male tennis player in history.

But he was not vaccinated against Covid-19, flying in the face of Australia’s rules, and he was detained on arrival. Despite challenging that decision through the courts, he was ultimately deported.

In Australia, the “Djokovic affair” has become about a lot more than athletes and vaccines — it has prompted conversations about the country’s aggressive border policy, isolationism and treatment of migrants.

Listen to ‘The Daily’: What the ‘Djokovic Affair’ Revealed About Australia

On the surface, it looked like a controversy over athletes and vaccines. But for the nation’s citizenry, the decision to deport Novak Djokovic became about something different.

Related Articles

Back to top button