The Australian Open is about to start three days later.
Melbourne, The Australian government has revoked tennis star Novak Djokovic’s visa for the second time and he could be deported, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the world number one’s game at the Australian Open. The turning point has come. Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said on Friday that he had exercised his privileges as minister to revoke the visa of the 34-year-old Serbian player on public interest grounds. The Australian Open is about to start three days later.
Djokovic’s lawyers can appeal against it in the Federal Circuit and Family Court. Deportation from Australia will result in a ban on entry into the country for the next three years. This means that the next time Djokovic comes to play the Australian Open, he will be 37 years old. Hawke said that he has taken this decision keeping in mind the public interest for health reasons.
“The Morrison Government remains committed to protecting the Australian borders during this time of the Corona pandemic,” he said in a statement. Morrison welcomed the decision, saying that Australia has had a very low death rate due to the corona epidemic and the highest vaccination figures. “This pandemic has been very difficult for every Australian,” he said in a statement. Together we learned and saved a livelihood. Australians have made a lot of sacrifices during the pandemic and they hope that their sacrifices should not go in vain. That is the reason the minister took this decision.”
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Only those players, support staff and spectators will be allowed to enter the Australian Open who have been vaccinated against Corona. Djokovic had sought medical exemption on the grounds that he had been infected in December. Djokovic’s visa has been canceled for the second time. His visa was revoked by the Australia Border Force on his arrival in Melbourne last week because he did not meet the criteria required for medical exemption from Australia’s stringent coronavirus vaccination rules. He spent four nights in the segregation hotel, after which the judge gave a verdict in his favor on Monday.
Djokovic started practicing at the Rod Laver Arena. He was supposed to practice this afternoon as well but he did it early in the morning. He had to play Miomir Kesmanovich of Serbia in the first round. Melbourne immigration lawyer Kian Bone said it would be very difficult for Djokovic’s lawyers to get the decision reversed in court. “It will be very difficult for Djokovic to get permission to play in the Australian Open now,” he said. Now they don’t even have time.”
Lawyers must go to a duty judge in Federal Circuit and Family Court or to a senior judge in Federal Court to obtain two emergency orders. The first order would be to stop his deportation and the second would be to instruct Hawke to restore Djokovic’s visa. Bone said, “The second commandment is something that has never happened to this day.” Very rarely does the court order the issuance of a visa to a member of the government. (agency)