Once more Australia has proven why it is arguably the most law-abiding country in the world by a long margin, as multiple-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer found out.

It turns out that even he must carry his tournament ID to get where he is trying to go at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park.

Rules are rules after all and they apply for everyone without exception.

So what if Federer is a six-time Australian Open champion, the owner of 20 major singles titles, a man who has spent more weeks ranked number one than any other and one of the most recognisable athletes on the planet?

A video showing Federer stopped by a security guard in a hallway outside a locker room at Melbourne Park made the rounds on Twitter on Saturday, drawing a mix of amazement and amusement.

To his credit, the champion made no fuss about it and waited patiently for the staff to bring him his ID accreditation before proceeding.

Comparisons in the back of one’s mind are inevitable, and disheartening…of what might have happened in a similar situation in some event in Greece…