It took four days, and now the reason is finally there: That’s why Novak Djokovic (34) had to leave Australia!
The federal court in Melbourne announced on Sunday that it would take time to formulate the reasoning. That’s how it happened. Now the 106 paragraphs are public. Key message: The motives of Immigration Minister Alex Hawke (44), who had withdrawn the visa from the tennis star in an individual decision by virtue of his office, are understandable.
Hawke had stated that if Djokovic stayed in the country, this could spur the anti-vaccination movement. In the verdict, it says: “A world star in tennis can influence people of all ages, whether young or old, but perhaps especially the young and impressionable people.”
Numerous opponents of vaccination around the world had celebrated the Serb as a hero during the posse about his residence permit Down Under, which lasted for days – but not only opponents of vaccination were among those who found Djokovic’s treatment inappropriate. The court now says that Hawke’s decision was ultimately neither “illogical nor irrational”.
His lawyers’ reasoning for returning Djokovic’s visa also referred to the fact that Hawke had not obtained Djokovic’s current opinion on vaccination, but was referring to quotes that were almost two years old.
But that was irrelevant to the court. It saw it as proven that numerous interviews and statements by Djokovic over the past two years were sufficient evidence to make his position on vaccination clear. And then there’s the fact that he’s still unvaccinated.
The federal court therefore followed Hawke’s view that an exemption for the world number 1 would have significantly worse consequences for the country Australia than an expulsion.
Djokovic had already accepted the verdict before his deportation. According to his mother Dijana, he also did not want to comment on the case as long as the Australian Open was running. A move warmly welcomed in Melbourne.
The first Grand Slam tournament of the year has been taking place since Monday without the defending champion. German hopes rest on Alexander Zverev (24), who meets Moldovan Radu Albot (32) in the third round on Friday (7 a.m., Eurosport live).