Rule is a rule: Iconic Novak Djokovic a case in point

The ongoing COVID surge across the world has catalyzed a debate on how far governments can go in mandating individual vaccination to limit or protect collective health risks. Western democracies are the site of heated debates, with three arms of the State reined-in. In the United States, the Supreme Court overturned a federal government vaccine mandate for larger populace, but upheld it for healthcare workers. French lawmakers have upheld a tighter vaccine pass for access to some public settings such as restaurants and trains.
Resonating the sentiments of public at large, the President of France said that “The unvaccinated, I really want to piss them off. And so, we are going to continue doing so until the end.” In Canada’s Quebec province, the government announced it will introduce a special ta on the unvaccinated. The data is abundantly clear that vaccines undoubtedly lower the risk of hospitalization and death. In India, Delhi’s data between January 9 and 12, 2022, showed that 72% of the 97 COVID deaths were among the unvaccinated. In normal times, governments need to tilt on the side of individual choice.
However, in the case of a respiratory pandemic, the choice to avoid vaccination can impede another individual’s mobility and livelihood. And so, the governments often restrict gatherings and mobility to manage the pressure of the healthcare infrastructure. The data shows that unvaccinated people are more susceptible and likely to be hospitalized, which implies that their choice has consequences for others.
Given the veracity and severity of the disease and the human and economic toll, restricting and limiting collective risks have to be prioritized over individual choice. Those who think and act in accordance to their priority and choices as against mandated rules prescribed by the governments violating the rules will have to face the consequence. Therefore, it should be borne in mind that automatic following of choices in times of pandemic have disastrous consequences and so vaccination cannot be an exception to this.
In the month of April 2020, he declared that he was opposed to vaccination. In June, 2020, he organized a tournament in Serbia which resulted in several players’ wives tested positive. His wife Jelena earned a False Information badge from Instagram for peddling COVID conspiracy theories linking 5G technology to the coronavirus outbreak. He is fully entitled to hold on to his beliefs. The problem arises when countries of the world have imposed curbs and procedures that are to be followed.
Accordingly, billions of people follow the COVID mandatory protocol, but Djokovic wants to go ahead flouting the rules and regulations that billions across the world follow as mandated by the comity of nations. He thinks that rules are to be bent for him because he is Novak Djokovic – sheer entitlement. Malborne where the Australian Open is taking might have exempted him, but the High Court and the Government of Australia argued for his deportation as he violated COVID rules.
However, take for example, ESPN pointed out that basketball player Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets is also part of the anti-vaccine athlete club but unlike Djokovic he chose not to play home games in New York because of the city’s vaccine mandates. American World No 93 Tennys Sandgren pulled out of the Australian Open rather than comply with the vaccine mandate. While on the one hand, British tennis star, Andy Murray said he chose to get vaccinated because “We have a responsibility as players that are travelling across the world to look out for everyone else as well.”
On the contrary, Djokovic, Howard Bryant writes on ESPN that “they owe nothing because they create so much: revenue and legacy for suits; pleasure for the watchers; security for their families. They are the value.” As Greek player Stefanos Tsitspas says, it makes the majority who followed the rules “look like fools”. In tune to some of these, Vijay Amritraj former tennis player was categorical in his assessment of the Djokovic saga that played out in Melbourne on the eve of the Australian Open, “If you choose not to take the vaccine then play in countries that allow it.” Continuing, “While the choice to be vaccinated may be that of the player, with choices come consequences.”
The entire sage can be summarized that the day before the Australian Open was set to begin, Novak Djokovic, considered as the greatest tennis player of all time in lawn tennis landed in Australia to defend his title defying COVID protocol rules lost his final bid hen a three-judge panel upheld the government’s decision to cancel his visa. The tussle is between an icon – a symbol of unvaccinated celebrity entitlement defying immigration laws that the authority enforced in a nation of rule followers including those who want to enter. Rules are rules and everyone is equal before the rule of law.
Money, fame, popularity and game come later. If we go back to the past there were governments that snapped its ties with Israel and South Africa – as Israel has been oppressing, suppressing and occupying the territories belonging to the Palestinians; the white-minority practicing apartheid against the majority in South Africa. Australia is one among a few countries where more than 90 percent of people are vaccinated. Due to its strict rules such as to work, to enter into any place and to enter into Australia vaccination is a must. Many could not enter Australia for about two years totally separated from their kith and kin; forgo their studies and employment opportunities and so on.
Djokovic saga teaches one lesson to those who think that their choice is above a nation or mass of people, but they should be aware of the fact and thus be prepared of the consequences of their choices. In a world of power and money, those with fame are well-connected and those in authority be it head the organizations, institutions and the governments in the states and Centre, bend, flout, tamper and undermine the rules favoring those known to them for a variety of reasons. Choices and preferences ought to be subordinated before the common and public good. Trust is important in human endeavors and transactions.
In times of pandemics and catastrophes when the Government invokes some rules and regulatory observances are of paramount importance. Over and above, when a scientific community comes out with data and efficacy, the respective governments evolves rules vis-à-vis ‘dos and don’ts’. The duty of the citizens is just to follow the rules for the sake of larger public if they are just and fitting. This is what happened to Nowak Djokovic. The Australian government’s decision was in tune with majority public opinion. When thousands and millions of people across the world had suffered in diverse ways due to coronavirus for about two long years, celebrities and those in power and authority wants the rules to be bent as they like.
Novak Djokovic is a classic case who thought he could bend the rules. He thought he could violate the rules and play in the Australian Open unvaccinated and thus became the greatest player ever in history of lawn tennis, but failed, as the rule remained straight. He will be remembered in history for this. A lesson for others such as celebrities, politicians and those in power and authority who think that they are above the rules and keep bending the rules as and when they want.
Dr. John Mohan Razu