The latest visa conflict between the world's leading male tennis player Novak Djokovic and the Australian government has triggered a number of different conversations over the treatment of the Serbian tennis star.
Seeking a medical exemption from the vaccine requirement set by the Australian government for individuals who wish to enter the country, Novak Djokovic's endeavor failed and resulted in his deportation from the country after a week-long legal battle.
Remember when Novak Djokovic called out Naomi Osaka for not following the rules?
— Rex Chapman?? (@RexChapman) January 13, 2022
“I understand that press conferences sometimes can be very unpleasant,” he said.” 1/ https://t.co/RCgnjtOkwQ
The tennis, star who has repeatedly expressed his anti-vaccine stance, was given a special medical exemption prior to his arrival at Melbourn airport to take part in the 2022 Australian Open. However, the Australian Minister of Immigration later rescinded Djokovic's visa before a court decided to send him away for not meeting the vaccine requirement for the visa.
Djokovic's case sparked numerous conversations over anti-vaxxers around the world, the swinging disbelief in science amid a deadly pandemic, and world-class athletes' attempts to receive special treatment, one that does not apply to average citizens of the world.
However, some discussions that took place on social media this week weighed on a different kind of double standard, that is of gender considerations.
If Venus Williams or Naomi Osaka did what Novak Djokovic did in this CNN clip they’d both be arrested and banned from tennis for life pic.twitter.com/Y8hpOQPMjH
— Wu-Tang Is For The Children (@WUTangKids) January 12, 2022
Several online commentators have remembered crises suffered by female tennis players throughout the years, ones that did not generate the same sense of solidarity and sympathy as Djokovic's bid to break a rule; such as the controversy that started in the 2018 French Open when American player Serena Williams was banned from wearing a catsuit during her pregnancy with her daughter. Williams was then attacked and asked to "respect the new dress code" even though it had no negative impact on others around her, unlike Novak Djokovic's opposition to the COVID-19 vaccine.
"Want to show how special treatment works?... Can you imagine how Serena Williams would be treated if she threatened the health of the general public? Heck, she was banned from wearing a catsuit to prevent blood clots in her own pregnancy."
— Tara Slone (@TaraSlone) January 14, 2022
???https://t.co/2yuk9qQsU4
Similarly, Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka was fined and heavily attacked when she asked to skip a press conferences during the 2021 French Open. Osaka had then explained that press conferences had a negative impact on her mental health and that her request doesn't affect her presence at the tournament. Back then, Novak Djokovic had stated that Osaka needed to understand that "press conferences were part of the tour and that he understands that breaking the rule would lead to a fine."
This blew up. Nothing to promote so I’ll double down: I remember Djokovic chiming in on Osaka skipping press conferences citing ‘following the rules’. I also remember every time Serena dare speak out about anything this is the type of response she gets. See the difference? pic.twitter.com/omoHQSBRRx
— Francis Maxwell (@francismmaxwell) January 13, 2022
Comparing those incidents with the strong support Djokovic received even after he admitted to having broken quarantine rules after testing positive for COVID-19 last December, many social media commentators expressed dissatisfaction with what they called "ongoing sexism" in the world of sports.
Written by Riham Darwish
