Slater (pictured) down under.
Slater (pictured) down under.

Australian government’s miraculous commutation of tennis champ Novak Djokovic’s “un-vaccination death sentence” juices greatest surfer ever Kelly Slater’s 12th World Title push!

Ke12y

Wild days, absolutely wild, what with tourists in Hawaii listening to the state’s overworked lifeguards, Jordy Smith healthy and ready to compete for the 2022 World Surf League Champion’s Trophy and Australia’s heretofore very serious government reversing course on its recent damnation of tennis champion Novak Djokovic.

The number one tennis player in the world has been lightly vocal on his stance that he shall not receive a Covid-19 vaccination and flew to Melbourne, ahead of the Australian Open, after the country’s tennis association gave him a waiver. Australia’s PM, Scott Morrison, took the nation’s temperature and decided to ban Djokovic, essentially delivering an un-vaccination death penalty to the Serbian.

Surfing great Kelly Slater, harboring vaccine skepticism of his own, was quick to bash the decision, writing that Melbourne’s citizens were suffering “Stockholm syndrome” and had been brainwashed as the Djokovic ruling essentially gutted Slater’s own pursuit of a 12th World Title.

Well, in breaking news, Australian courts have vacated Morrison’s tough talk. Per the report:

Djokovic argued he didn’t need proof of vaccination because he had contracted the illness last month. Australian medical authorities ruled that a temporary exemption for the vaccine rule can be provided to people who had been infected with COVID-19 within six months.

Circuit Court Judge Anthony Kelly noted that Djokovic had provided officials at the airport with a medical exemption given to him by Tennis Australia, which organizes the Australian Open, and two medical panels.

“The point I’m somewhat agitated about is what more could this man have done?” Kelly asked Djokovic’s lawyer Nick Wood.

Wood agreed that there was nothing more Djokovic could’ve done.

Djokovic had been placed in an immigration detention hotel used to house refugees and asylum seekers.

Lawyers for Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said in their submission that if the judge ruled in favor of the tennis star, immigration officials might cancel his visa a second time. They said the vaccination requirement could only be deferred for arriving travelers who have had a COVID-19 infection if their illness was acute.

“There is no suggestion that the applicant (Djokovic) had ‘acute major medical illness’ in December” when he tested positive, the submission said.

Djokovic could face a three-year ban from the country if his visa is canceled and is deported.

Unprecedented times but back to Slater.

Does he have what it takes?

One final push?

Maybe this bit of good news will provide the juice he needs to soar.

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Jack Barlow
Jack Barlow
4 years ago

Bethany Hamilton is my favorite surfer
Tough as could be in the water and super sweet on land

Sellme fitzgobbins
Sellme fitzgobbins
4 years ago

Strange times when the Quokka in the selfie is showing more signs of intelligence than the photographer ….

Otto
Otto
4 years ago

All natural mRNA here. Just what the good lord gave me.
None of that synthetic shit you all are getting jabbed with.

Occ Topus
Occ Topus
4 years ago

Repeat. Year after year. Ad nauseum.

Blade
Blade
4 years ago

Bet the government overrules state law with federal clout ,if the joker fronts up day one at AO the Melbourne crowd will be hostile

Low wide stinkbug stance
Low wide stinkbug stance
4 years ago

Life goes on just fine mate. Sorry you couldn’t make it.

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
4 years ago

Doesn’t seem to bad …..my mate was up from Sydney for Cyclone Seth at Kirra , My sister is on holidays in Tasmania , my nephew spent a week at home recovering from Covid and now back at work , another sister just tested positive , is vaccinated and enjoying a week at home by the pool and my mum and dad just moved to the beach and are loving Shark island ( from the balcony ) in all its moods ….. My kind of Ghetto !

Hot stuff
Hot stuff
4 years ago

If they want blood
They’ll get it.

Hot stuff
Hot stuff
4 years ago

There are very few anti vaxxers
But millions of anti covid vaxxers, and the numbers are growing.
Even among the duped vaxxed

Shampoo Poo
Shampoo Poo
4 years ago

Ke11y is so Lord of the Rings. 1/4 Smeagol, 3/4 full Gollum.

Low wide stinkbug stance
Low wide stinkbug stance
4 years ago
Reply to  Shampoo Poo

To borrow sams terminology, is kel “slinker” or “stinker”??

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
4 years ago

7 ring Circus ! Thank fuck Sam the GARDENER was there to save the day . While others were playing politics and power games , the peoples’ hero called bullshit bullshit and got the job done

Sean Connery
Sean Connery
4 years ago

“Djokovic had been placed in an immigration detention hotel used to house refugees and asylum seekers.” Sometimes its the little things that bring a smile to my face.

Picard Madeoff
Picard Madeoff
4 years ago
Reply to  Sean Connery

The Park Hotel is a nice hotel and Novak has to pay for the stay but the call girls should still be solid…or so I’ve heard

V3 Rocket
V3 Rocket
4 years ago
Reply to  Sean Connery

Where’s Wally?
(one day after testing covid positive)

https://uploads.disquscdn.c…

Phat-wan kerr
Phat-wan kerr
4 years ago
Reply to  V3 Rocket

are half of the front row brothers?

Hot stuff
Hot stuff
4 years ago

It happened in a sophisticated and modern Germany, so, it can happen

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
4 years ago
Reply to  Hot stuff

That is why in contemporary post NAzi and post Elvis Germany there are signs up at every election

“ IF YOU DON’T VOTE , YOU GET NAZIS ! “

Hot stuff
Hot stuff
4 years ago

But they did vote for Mr Hitler.
It wasn’t a coup.

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
4 years ago
Reply to  Hot stuff

Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.…’

Winston S Churchill, 11 November 1947.

Hot stuff
Hot stuff
4 years ago

Bit can you vote without ID
Or if you are just visiting?

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
4 years ago
Reply to  Hot stuff

As an Australian passport holder with a long stay residents visa , I have no say in the democratic process of the German Republic .

Hot stuff
Hot stuff
4 years ago

That’s something I have in common with Kelly and Novak.
We listen to our doctors.
Not the media

Mista Spakle
Mista Spakle
4 years ago
Reply to  Hot stuff

Dr. Utoob or Dr. Rogan?

Occ Topus
Occ Topus
4 years ago
Reply to  Mista Spakle

Dr. Doolittle

Low wide stinkbug stance
Low wide stinkbug stance
4 years ago
Reply to  Hot stuff

Veterinarians are doctors after all!

Hot stuff
Hot stuff
4 years ago

Yeah well my guy says right now there is no vaccine, he said it from the start, you’ll need a new one for every variant, that’s if you’re scared of your own shadow

Captain Wack
Captain Wack
4 years ago

Hi everyone, hope you had a great holiday break. I personally started a bad drinking habit, real bad, like almost ruined my whole life bad. Started off with just beer, then went to black label scotch. All in all was very unnecessary. Looking forward to doing it again next Christmas. Anyway happy new year, hope 2022 is awesome!

Sean Connery
Sean Connery
4 years ago
Reply to  Captain Wack

Sounds like any day of the week for me.

Picard Madeoff
Picard Madeoff
4 years ago
Reply to  Captain Wack

ROOKIE! Without tequila, blow, shrooms and amyls sounds like a rather pedestrian holiday!

Gino
Gino
4 years ago

My taxes at work for Kelly.
You’re welcome.

notsurfingtoday
notsurfingtoday
4 years ago

I’m no epidemiologist but yeah reckon kelly can take 12th. Still surfs better than most. Can provide fireworks when needed. Deep barrels. Carving 360s. Post heat interviews. Makes it worth watching. If only he keeps his fingers from tapping away on social media, that would be great.
Btw fuck tennis. Who cares.

Ricky Spanish
Ricky Spanish
4 years ago

Australia or not, number 12 is pure fantasy.

kooksRus
kooksRus
4 years ago
Reply to  Ricky Spanish

yes

Gwen Walz’s Eyes
Gwen Walz’s Eyes
4 years ago
Reply to  Ricky Spanish

Disagree. Did you see how hard he charged Backdoor at 202 Pipe Masters? The guy still has it.

For the fun of it let’s say Kelly wins Pipe this year. Comp ends feb 10 Slater turns 50 the next day feb 11. He thrives on that kind of shit.

Then he makes quarters at Sunset and quarters in Portugal. Even if he gets denied in Oz he is still in the hunt. 2 throwaways.
Next up G Land. 8′ Speedies and Slates makes the semi’s. Then a throwaway in Brazil and another quarters at Lowers.
After that they go to J Bay and Slater makes the quarters agin. Still a keeper. Remember it’s top 5 make it to finals day.
Then it would all come down to whether he could get some sort of exemption to enter Tahiti. If that happens you know as well as me he could win Chopes. But let’s just say he makes the semi’s again.
Bingo he’s in the top 5 at years end and the WSL has finals day at Cloudbreak with a 2 week waiting period to get the right wind ( I assume plenty of swell there in September ).

Greatest sports story in history?

Ricky Spanish
Ricky Spanish
4 years ago

Be a great story, but it won’t happen. If he wins a single contest he should walk away right then and there.

DavidC
DavidC
4 years ago
Reply to  Ricky Spanish

Ricky do you know if the foot thingy is still in play?

Ricky Spanish
Ricky Spanish
4 years ago
Reply to  DavidC

Only when its convenient for him it seems. Easy way to explain a loss or get out of going to Brazil or a contest with a shitty forecast

Yomar
Yomar
4 years ago

Since he’s not competing against his contempories he doesn’t really have to care at all anymore. Just being there at age 50 against kids whose fathers are younger than him should feel cool enough for anybody and if he can put together some great performances at great waves that’s awesome for him, and for us watching.

Low wide stinkbug stance
Low wide stinkbug stance
4 years ago

Did you see him surf dbar? He won’t make it to the quarter’s anywhere with shitty surf. I mean good luck to the guy, 50yo is unbelievable but the top guys have got him covered.

Murky Ball
Murky Ball
4 years ago
Reply to  Ricky Spanish

I used to want him to win more things, he was a phenomenon and it’s cool to witness such a thing. But two things have become clear: 1) he’s nowhere near good enough 2) he’s an absolute bell-end.

Gil Gunderson
Gil Gunderson
4 years ago

Give it time, there’s an election brewing.

Jimmy the Saint
Jimmy the Saint
4 years ago

Didn’t realize Nick Wood ended up as a lawyer

J H
J H
4 years ago

Well…he hasn’t developed his Rocky Point property so he has to be doing something else with his time, right?

Or is that Nick Woodman?

Does it really matter?

Jimmy the Saint
Jimmy the Saint
4 years ago
Reply to  J H

Nick Wood – won Bells at 16 years of age – I think

J H
J H
4 years ago

So not the GoPro guy.

Got it.

Jimmy the Saint
Jimmy the Saint
4 years ago
Reply to  J H

Probably not the Bells guy either…

Otto
Otto
4 years ago

You’re almost obligated to include Jason Buttonshaw in any sentence that includes Nick Wood.

Jimmy the Saint
Jimmy the Saint
4 years ago
Reply to  Otto

I don’t know anything about Jason Buttonshaw

Pauly Matt War-Shore
Pauly Matt War-Shore
4 years ago

If anything, know this amazing photo. https://uploads.disquscdn.c…

Beef & Beer
Beef & Beer
4 years ago

Yes was a great era to be in the area…

DavidC
DavidC
4 years ago
Reply to  Beef & Beer

Ya gotta luv those 80’s wetsuits!

c4
c4
4 years ago

Watch The movie Surf Into Summer on YouTube.

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
4 years ago

Tiny Qld surfer , child prodigy , broke his leg when hit by a backwash and like Nick , never reached his full potential .

Low wide stinkbug stance
Low wide stinkbug stance
4 years ago

And got bashed outside the patch by another contemporary surfer whose name i forget.

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
4 years ago

One of the best heats I saw mid to late 80s was the Final of the Cadet Division of the Byron Bay Easter Classic ( I was Surfing for SKY at the time so made the pilgrimage every year ) .
Butto , Sam Watts and the Trevor Gleave ( related to Longboarder legend Ray who I met in France )and 3 others , put on a show , flying , floating at a speed which made the Juniors and Opens look pedestrian .

Phat-wan kerr
Phat-wan kerr
4 years ago

blasphemy.

nicky buttonshaw
nicky buttonshaw
4 years ago
Reply to  Otto

Agreed.

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
4 years ago
Reply to  Otto

Like NSSA and David Eggers … twins for life .

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
4 years ago

He did and a teenage Dog Marsh finished 2nd .

Low wide stinkbug stance
Low wide stinkbug stance
4 years ago

I was there. That backwash floater won him the comp. I think dog sat out on the bowl waiting for a bomb that never came.

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
4 years ago

A year before a mate’s dad lent Dog his tyres ( they actually swapped them ) so Dog could drive and compete at the 0z titles held in Victoria in an attempt to launch his career , which is still going , but with brand spanking new tyres .

@surfads
@surfads
4 years ago

He was a teen law prodigy with a wicked forehand tort, made the bar at 16 and was destined for the Supreme Court but was ultimately sidetracked by the excesses of the legal system.

DavidC
DavidC
4 years ago
Reply to  @surfads

Ads a beautiful Metaphor!

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
4 years ago

That was fellow Merewether Club mate ( ok he was originally from Stockton )
Simon LAW !

Low wide stinkbug stance
Low wide stinkbug stance
4 years ago

He used to have business cards with “get out of jail free, signed: the law!” Printed on the back. Legend.

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
4 years ago

Amazing surfer , THE LAW , especially in waves of consequence .
Tough competitor from a tougher 80s version of the Steel City .

He once tried to intimidate my mate , Slater Style , before their 85 Pro Junior 1/4 final , but the wheels fell off Simon’s cart and the 16 year old Nephew of Neil Pringle was actually fired up by the argy bargy and kicked his butt .

J H
J H
4 years ago

When does the Contest Formerly Known as The Pipe Masters in Honor of Andy Irons officially commence?

Meanwhile…it was all political all along.

Yomar
Yomar
4 years ago
Reply to  J H

yeah, when’s that starting and will it be streamed for a change?

Barrelled
Barrelled
4 years ago

But, you didn’t strangely superimpose Ke12y’s face on Raphael Nadal this time

J H
J H
4 years ago
Reply to  Barrelled

Budget cuts.

Picard Madeoff
Picard Madeoff
4 years ago
Reply to  Barrelled

Two follicle challenged world class athletes superimposed to make the greatest topspin surfing king of all time…properly enhanced by the Redbull doctors of course!


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