Selected
- Details
- Written by Grant Broadcasters
- Category: Selected
- Hits: 147
Novak Djokovic in July 2021 (Photo: Adam Davy/PA Wire)
Novak Djokovic has long divided opinion in the tennis world, provoking fervent support but also a degree of animosity.
Those emotions have been magnified by the decision to grant the world No.1 a medical exemption to compete in the Australian Open.
Figures within tennis, however, have initially either been quiet, or coy at the news, though this is partly explained by it breaking late in the Australian evening when many of the players preparing in Australia for the grand slam were either heading for bed or away from media outlets.
Jamie Murray, the British doubles player, was neither having just competed in the ATP Cup. When asked his thoughts he said: "I think if it was me that wasn't vaccinated I wouldn't be getting an exemption." After a pause he added: "But well done to him for getting clear to come to Australia and compete."
The reaction of the players alongside Murray at the press conference suggested this was a minefield few were prepared to cross. Certainly the Australian players James Duckworth and Alex de Minaur were more circumspect, if not exactly overjoyed at the news.
"I don't know the criteria for exemptions ,apparently it's an independent panel, he must have fit the criteria somehow, so, yeah, if he's fit the criteria, then, yeah, he should be able to come," said Duckworth.
De Minaur responded with a laugh: "That's very politically correct of you."
The Australian No.1 added: "I just think it's just very interesting, that's all I'm going to say. But, hey, it is what it is, I just hope that the other players that I heard there were other cases as well, they got exemptions, so I hope they will all fit the criteria."
Richard Ings, the former head of Australia's anti-doping authority ASADA, and a keen advocate of vaccination, was less reticent.
"Clearly all this talk about vaccination status being personal and private only held water up to the point of tossing it back in the face of vaccinated Australians," he wrote on twitter.
Ings was replying to the post in which Djokovic announced he was heading for Melbourne, accompanied by a photo of him with packed bags at an airport.
Seven hours after sending this the Serbian had received 32,400 likes, 6,500 retweets and 5,900 replies.
Happy New Year! Wishing you all health, love & joy in every moment & may you feel love & respect towards all beings on this wonderful planet.
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) January 4, 2022
I’ve spent fantastic quality time with loved ones over break & today I’m heading Down Under with an exemption permission. Let’s go 2022! pic.twitter.com/e688iSO2d4
Given he has 8.8m followers those numbers are not particularly large. More pertinent was the content. There was a significant hard-core of support, much of it from compatriots or anti-vaxxers.
But there was far more criticism, often very strongly worded, a lot of it from Australians, many of whom also took aim at their own Government .
The response was similar in old media. Under the sub-headline 'Fury at No-vax grand slam shock' the splash headline in the Brisbane Courier-Mail was 'You must be Djoking'.
There's Rafa who apologises to people for not being able to sign autograph due to their and his safety and COVID protocols and then there's Novak Djokovic who mocks all the Australian by adding "medical exemption" in his post.....#AusOpen
— fedaltennis (@TennisFedal) January 4, 2022
Novak Djokovic is the greatest tennis player ever. Forget Laver, Agassi ,Federer,Sampras,Nadal,McEnroe,Connors and Borg for Novak has won 20 Grand Slams and 87 titles and a billion dollars without us knowing he had a debilitating medical problem.We have been taken for fools. Kb
— Kevin Bartlett (@KevinBartlett29) January 4, 2022
It will be *VERY* interesting to see how people in Melbourne, the city with the world's longest COVID-19 lockdown, will react to Novak Djokovic playing at the Australian Open.
— Nikolaus Fink (@NikolausFink) January 4, 2022
Whoever knocks Djokovic out of the #AusOpen may never need to buy a beer In Australia ever again.
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshMedia) January 4, 2022
© AAP 2022
- Details
- Written by NSW News
- Category: Selected
- Hits: 157
The death of a rock fisherman in the Illawarra region is the latest in a series of recent drownings across the state, as the NSW Police Force and Surf Life Saving NSW encourages the community to be extra careful around waterways.
At about 12.50pm on Sunday January 2 2022, police and emergency services were called to Windang Island following reports of a man in distress in the water.
Officers from Marine Area Command and Lake Illawarra Police District responded and were told the man, who was not wearing a lifejacket, had been fishing on the rocks before being swept into the water.
Police and NSW Surf Lifesavers conducted an extensive search on the water, while the Toll Ambulance helicopter conducted aerial searches.
The body of a 21-year-old man was located about 1.20pm, before being winched from the water by the Toll Ambulance helicopter and returned to shore by Water Police.
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.
Three other people have tragically drowned in waterways across the state in recent days, including another rock fisherman at Turimetta Beach in Warriewood, a 15-year-old boy at Shoalhaven River in Burrier, and an 18-year-old man in the Murray River at Albury.
Marine Area Commander Superintendent Murray Reynolds said police will continue to do everything in their power to keep people safe on the water.
“The most difficult part of our work is when someone dies or is seriously injured and we know it could have been prevented,” said Superintendent Reynolds.
“These deaths are incredibly tragic. Our heart goes out to the loved ones of the people who recently lost their lives in the water,” said Mr Reynolds.
Images: Darren Malone
- Details
- Written by NSW News
- Category: Selected
- Hits: 137
NSW Health officials are urging people to be mindful of the pressure on the hospital system, as more than 12-hundred Covid-19 patients are admitted to NSW hospitals.
There are 95 patients in intensive care, 25 of whom require ventilation.
The state has 20-thousand-794 new infections.
3,966 new infections are from South Western Sydney.
1,612 are from Hunter New England Local Health District.
230 new cases are from Southern NSW.
535 are from the Illawarra Shoalhaven.
- 304 cases from Wollongong Local Government Area
- 103 cases from Shellharbour.
- 94 cases from the Shoalhaven Local Government Area.
- 34 cases are from Kiama.
If you are directed to get tested for COVID 19 or self-isolate at any time, you must follow the self-isolation rules.
If you have any COVID-19 symptoms it is still important that you have a test and self-isolate until you receive a negative test result.
- Details
- Written by NSW News
- Category: Selected
- Hits: 149
Marine Rescue NSW volunteers have started 2022 the same way they finished 2021, helping people on our waterways.
Just hours after helping out on Sydney Harbour marshalling crowds away from the fireworks exclusion zone, Marine Rescue Broken Bay was tasked to tow a broken down runabout to safety.
Volunteers aboard Marine Rescue Shellharbour rescue vessel SH30 were called to search for a kite surfer reported missing near Bass Point on Sunday.
The Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter also joined in the search along with the Kiama jetboat.
There have been numerous other callouts for vessels which have got into trouble in rough conditions or have run out of fuel.
Volunteer crews anticipate another busy day helping boaters who have run into trouble.
Ex tropical cyclone Seth is causing severe weather in northern NSW, resulting in dangerous conditions for boaters.
Marine Rescue NSW is urging boaters along the Northern Rivers and Mid-North Coast to consider delaying bar crossings until weather conditions ease.
Boaters on coastal lakes and estuaries in the Northern Rivers should stay off the water with wind gusts to 100km per hour are expected later today in that area.
Boaters are being urged to allow for enough fuel for your journey, have your engine serviced and boat to the conditions.
Marine rescue NSW said vessels should Log On with the Marine Rescue App or VHF channel 16.
Images: NSW Marine Rescue Facebook
Page 101 of 191