Australia cancels Novak Djokovic’s visa following “failure to meet entry requirements”
Jan 6, 2022: Australia revokes Novak Djokovic’s visa and denies entry to men’s number one tennis player.
The Serb had earlier said he had received a medical exemption from the COVID-19 vaccine to play in the Australian Open, which starts in less than two weeks.
Australia’s border agency announced, saying the sportsman “failed to provide appropriate evidence” to meet entry requirements.
As per Australian Border Force (ABF) statement on Thursday that “Djokovic failed to provide adequate evidence to meet his entry requirements into Australia, and his visa was later revoked.”
Djokovic was taken from Melbourne’s Tulamarine Airport to the Park Hotel, a government detention center notorious for spreading corona virus, pending his removal. He is expected to be released later Thursday, although Djokovic’s lawyers have filed a restraining order, which is now set for 6:00 pm (07:00 GMT).
Australia has implemented strict measures to deal with COVID-19, including the need for full vaccinations, exemptions for those entering the country from abroad for medical reasons. The Australian Task Force, which determines the immunity, lists COVID-19 infections in the last six months as a qualifier for the risk of serious heart disease from vaccination.
However, Morrison said on Thursday that Tennis Australia had been advised several months ago that the current infection did not meet the exemption criteria. Tennis Australia and government officials said Djokovic did not receive any preferential treatment, adding that he was among “a handful” of 26 people who applied and were approved anonymously and independently.
Additionally, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed on social media that Djokovic’s visa has been revoked.
“Rules are rules, especially when it comes to our borders. No one is above these rules. Our strong border policies have been critical to Australia having one of the lowest death rates in the world from COVID, we are continuing to be vigilant,” he said on Twitter. Later, at a media conference in Canberra, Morrison told reporters that Djokovic had failed to provide sufficient proof for why he should have a medical exemption from vaccination and denied the player had been “singled out”.
The move by the Australian government is already causing tensions between Canberra and Belgrade.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he had spoken to Djokovic on the phone, telling him that “the whole of Serbia is with him and that our authorities are undertaking all measures in order that maltreatment of the world’s best tennis player ends as soon as possible”.
People in Melbourne endured a long and severe lockdown to bring cases under control in 2020 and are now worried about an increase in cases due to the more transmitted Omicron variant. Many were outraged that the non-vaccinated player had been granted a visa to play in the Grand Slam tournament, which he has won nine times, and protests prompted Morrison to promise to deport Djokovic if he did not provide sufficient evidence to support the exemption.
Djokovic landed at Tullamarine Airport at about 11:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday after a 14-hour flight from Dubai, but was separated by police, taken to the room and kept under surveillance when Australian authorities said he was not allowed a medical waiver on his visa.
Meanwhile the player’s father said his son had been “held captive for five hours” at Melbourne airport and that his son should receive a hero’s welcome upon his return.
Djokovic’s anti-vaccination stance could leave him facing a tough crowd in Melbourne if he were allowed to compete for his tenth title at the Open.
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