Michael Burgess: Why Novak Djokovic's fate will reverberate around sport

Novak Djokovic may have provided a lesson for other sportspeople. Photo / Getty

OPINION:

The ripple effect of Novak Djokovic's expulsion from Australia could have unintended consequences for other sports.

The Djokovic saga became one of the most captivating – and bizarre – stories of the last decade, with all the ingredients of a television drama, along with some stuff that even Hollywood couldn't make up.

Djokovic isn't just a big name in tennis, he's a legend across the sporting sphere, recognisable from Belize to Budapest, Bangkok to Bogota after his stunning achievements over the last 15 years.

That has brought a level of stardom, influence and power that is meant to elevate him above mere mortals and accord layers of special treatment, as has always been the way with the greatest sporting achievers.

But Covid has changed the game.

As shown with Djokovic, fame, wealth and status can swiftly become irrelevant, leaving the binary classification of those who have taken the vaccination jab and those choosing another path.

It was a highly demeaning affair for the Serbian, whether being detained at an immigration hotel or being pursued to the airport after finally losing his battle to stay.

The saga may have struck a chord with other vaccine-hesitant sportspeople out there because nobody wants to endure that kind of humiliation, on whatever scale.

It will also be a reminder to sports organisations of the complexity of the Covid world.

The ATP chose not to mandate vaccinations for players – wanting to safeguard the rights of the individual – but their stance backfired spectacularly in this case.

What about the 2022 Fifa World Cup?

Football's governing body have yet to declare whether unvaccinated players will be able to compete at the 2022 event in Qatar but are believed to be hoping to strike a compromise with the host nation, who currently don't allow unvaccinated visitors to enter the country.

That could be a problem for many top footballers, with the BBC reporting recently that 23 per cent of Premier League players were either not double vaccinated or were yet to have their first jab.

It's their right to choose, but may come with strong consequences in a world where Covid vaccination is increasingly seen as a not just a human right but a human responsibility.

Athletes wanting to compete at the upcoming Winter Olympics appear to have a black-and-white choice, with China enforcing a 21-day quarantine period for unvaccinated individuals arriving for the Beijing Games.

Closer to home, the NRL have yet to mandate jabs (unlike the AFL) which has caused some difficult situations for clubs, with the Melbourne Storm currently in limbo over the apparent reluctance of Kiwis forward Nelson Asofa-Solomona to take the jab.

There are no winners from the Djokovic situation. Certainly not the Serb, now kicking his heels in Belgrade.

Tournament organisers and the Australian government also have ongoing questions to answer, while whoever lifts the men's trophy will have the validity of their triumph questioned in the glaring absence of the nine-time champion.

But the episode, which already feels like the sport story of 2022, reinforced the ever-decreasing options for professional athletes who choose to be unvaccinated.