Pressure Builds For Tennis Australia Boss To Step Down Over Djokovic Scandal
Pressure is building on Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley to step down following the drawn-out saga of Novak Djokovic's inclusion in the Australian Open.
The organisation has released a statement from its board acknowledging the learnings from the scandal, but backing Tiley in his position.
"We would like to make clear from the outset that we respect the decision of the Immigration Minister and the finding of the Federal Court of Australia over the weekend," read the statement.
"As the Australian tennis family, we recognise that recent events have been a significant distraction for everyone, and we deeply regret the impact this had on all players.
"There are always lessons to learn, and we will review all aspects of our preparation and implementation to inform our planning - as we do every year.
"That process always starts once the Australian Open champions have lifted their trophies."
The statement has done nothing to silence people wanting Tiley to stand down to cover the embarrassment of the events leading up to the Open.
Several online petitions have popped up since the drama unfolded that are calling for his resignation.
One Change.org petition calls the back and forth an 'international embarrassment' and accuses Tiley of trying to take advantage of a loophole that would take the decision for Djokovic to play out of his hands.
"He schemed and plotted a course to assist Djokovic be above ordinary Victorian's [sic]," the petition claims.
"His selfish cowardly actions are not just a slap in the face of the Australian public but he provided a message of support to anti-vax crusaders."
Tennis Australia's confirmation that it will review the situation after the Grand Slam has concluded has also drawn some criticism from the public who say the organisation is trying to delay the process until people have forgotten the saga.
Tiley is yet to make his own statement and hasn't been present since the Open began in Melbourne earlier this week.
It's been two weeks since Djokovic was detained upon his entry into Australia for failing to produce the necessary paperwork to enter the country.
He had been granted medical exemption from Tennis Australia to play in the Open, but this wasn't enough to satisfy border requirements.
Djokovic had been evasive about his vaccination status during the pandemic.
He refused to declare if he was vaccinated or not against the coronavirus, but secured an exemption based on the fact he had contracted it in December.
Several players have spoken out about the way he was treated during the review of his documentation, with many saying that while they didn't support his beliefs, they believed the situation had been severely mishandled.
Nick Kyrgios made a point of saying Australia's handling of the virus had created the environment that resulted in the Djokovic debacle.
"How we're dealing with stuff is just so embarrassing. I just think if Australia had dealt with Covid better, I don't think this would be such a big issue. It's insane now," he said.
Topics: News, Australian Open, Sports, Novak Djokovic, Craig Tiley, Australia
Hannah Blackiston