Brexit champion Nigel Farage has backed tennis ace Novak Djokovic against “big, bullying, nasty government” in Australia, where the Serbian athlete is currently being detained in a hotel.
The world tennis number one, dubbed “Novax Djokovic” after appearing to express scepticism about coronavirus vaccines, travelled to the former British colony at the invitation of Tennis Australia to participate in the Australian Open with, he has argued, an exemption.
On arrival, however, he was detained by the Australian Border Force, and he will remain detained until at least Monday — already missing Orthodox Christmas on Friday, with the authorities refusing to allow a Serbian Orthodox priest to visit and bless him — when he will have an appeal hearing.
Farage, commenting on the situation on his personal YouTube page, insisted that the sportsman did have an exemption under the relevant regional rules and alleged that “big government, big, bullying nasty government [had] intervene[d], the federal government [went] over the top of Victoria state and Scott Morrison, the Prime Minister, [said] there must be no exemptions for anyone.”
“The most astonishing thing with all of this is how few people are prepared to speak out, how the broadcasters are making out that somehow Djokovic is a threat to public health — well, he absolutely isn’t,” Farage asserted, claiming that even if you have “one, two, three, or in Israel four injections” you are still at risk of catching and spreading the coronavirus.
The BBC, citing research published in The Lancet, did report in October that people “who have had two vaccine doses can be just as infectious as those who have not been jabbed”, although The Harvard Gazette reported in December that, per Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health research, “People who are vaccinated for SARS-CoV-2 but get breakthrough infections may be less likely to spread the virus because they shed it for a shorter period than unvaccinated people”.
“I do know the Djokovic family and I have spoken to them… at some length, and here’s what happened: he was actually arrested,” Farage claimed.
“Be in no doubt about that: he was arrested; his wallet has been taken, his mobile phone has been taken, he’s been put into a run-down hotel which is more akin to a prison — although I think the food is probably somewhat worse, which for a very fit athlete must be a very unhappy state of affairs,” Farage alleged, challenging Australian government claims that the Serb is free to leave and go home whenever he likes.
The Brexiteer suggested that, if Djokovic does not stay and go through with his appeal, he will be banned from returning to Australia for years, badly damaging his prospects of winning future grand slams.
“It seems to me that Australia has lost any sense of liberty, any sense, frankly, of common sense,” Farage added, predicting that Djokovic’s appeal would be unsuccessful and end in his deportation.
“What has happened to Australia, and what has happened here [in Britain] to us? Why are the majority prepared to allow Big Government, in the name of fighting this virus, to take away our liberties and freedoms?” he demanded.
Farage’s assertions about Djojovic’s detention and exemption status under Australian state and federal law remain officially unconfirmed as of the time of publication.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.