Letters | Novak Djokovic’s vaccine stance is disappointing and self-defeating

Readers discuss the tussle between tennis star Novak Djokovic and the Australian government, the questionable logic behind Hong Kong’s social distancing rules, the fate of art events in the city, and the difference between legality and morality

Coronavirus pandemic

Letters

Published: 7:30am, 13 Jan 2022

Why you can trust SCMP

I am a huge fan of Novak Djokovic. Aside from being a phenomenal tennis player, he wins my sympathy in every category, from his origins to his dedication excelling in such a competitive sport, especially when he was young and facing off undisputed champions such as Roger Federer.

But what really drew me to being an admirer was his public image, one that conveyed sympathy and care through his philanthropic side and a certain level of humility not often found in people of his stature. However, I am utterly disappointed by his most recent attitude.

Court documents now confirm that Djokovic is not vaccinated. I laud the Australian government for the decision to deny him entry and initiate deportation procedures, although a judge later ruled in Djokovic’s favour over his visa.

Australia has some of the world’s strictest Covid-19 restrictions and has wisely shifted to a vaccination drive, gradually lifting the aforementioned tough restrictions. Granting a vaccination exemption to a tennis star would be spitting in the face of the population, who in the past were prohibited from even leaving the country.

Shame on Djokovic, not just for opposing vaccination but also for dissembling about the basis on which he was granted an exemption, knowing that such an attitude would be condemned.

How to avoid doing a Djokovic: Australia’s Covid-19 travel rules

In the case of all three Covid-19 shots I received, my arm was sore for a few days, but this did not even fully preclude me from playing racket sports. All of us could have some excuse one way or another not to take the vaccine.

While Omicron infections in the US are spreading like wildfire, so far the hospitalisation and death rate is lower than during the previous peak. Lockdowns have become unsustainable. The most recent measures in Hong Kong yet again prove the tremendous sacrifice they require.

Djokovic’s anti-vaccination stance is bizarre in that it is coming from someone whose sector relies on there being no lockdowns so as to allow people to watch their matches. That is, unless he fancies empty stadiums and, as a result, much less prize money.

Jose Alvares, Macau

Why are tennis courts closed and restaurants open?

I am a regular tennis player and restaurant-goer. The area of a tennis court is 260.87 square metres for doubles with four players on court and 195.65 square metres for singles with two players on court, averaging 65.22 square metres per person for doubles and 97.83 square metres per person for singles. The space per diner at a restaurant is much smaller.

Moreover, tennis is played outdoors while eating in restaurants is primarily an indoor activity. It is common sense that the latter carries higher risks than the former in terms of chances of catching Covid-19. Even so, playing tennis is now prohibited while eating in restaurants is allowed, at least until 6pm.

The logic, or rather the lack of it, is glaring. A reasoned explanation from the secretary for food and health would be appreciated.

Francis Lo, North Point

Save arts scene from death by restrictions

I wonder if the government is aware of how it is essentially killing what remains of the city’s fragile cultural scene with its Covid-19 policies.

Before the next major arts event, the Hong Kong Arts Festival, faces the inevitable chopping block, why not spare a thought for all the musicians and artists who have come from afar and endured three weeks of quarantine only to find rehearsals and performances cancelled upon release?

Why not keep the arts events alive by restricting entry to performance venues to those patrons and artists that are jabbed and tested? We can preserve some remnants of a cultural life – or life in general – by acknowledging that Omicron is here to stay, even in Hong Kong.

No amount of government support and funding will attract international artists as they tire of the local measures revolving around the unattainable “zero-Covid” policy.

Consider the musician and conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s words, “The arts are God’s greatest gift. May we continue to cherish and preserve them in centuries to follow.” Sadly, they might not survive in today’s Hong Kong.

Christian Hallsberg, Mid Levels

Party scandal a matter of ethics, not law

The argument defending the partygoers seems to be that since they did nothing prohibited by law, they did nothing wrong. However, we need to make a distinction between doing something illegal and doing something wrong.

The law defines some minimally accepted code of conduct for people to follow so society can function reasonably well, but it says nothing about what is right and wrong. The latter is relative to society’s expectations of the person in question.

Society is not being unreasonable when it expects its leaders to keep the common good in mind and be more responsible than most, since after all society entrusts them, not others, with the responsibility of leading us. Whether they did something illegal is irrelevant as we have the laws to deal with that, but as political leaders what they did was wrong.

Huan Liu, Sham Tseng