Visa canceled! Novak Djokovic’s request to enter Australia was rejected on Wednesday evening (Thursday morning in Australia) according to local daily The Age, citing two sources familiar with the matter. Shortly thereafter, Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt said Novak Djokovic had failed to provide “the proper evidence” to enter Australia and would be returned to his country. According to the Australian newspaper, Djokovic’s lawyers are however trying to appeal the decision, which could delay his departure.
The least we can say is that Novak Djokovic was expected at Tullamarine airport in Melbourne when he disembarked from his flight from Dubai. The Instagram post posted Tuesday by the world No. 1 to display with a smile his “exemption” and announce his participation in the Australian Open despite his unvaccinated status (which he has never publicly confirmed) did blow a wind of questions on the tennis planet and a storm of discord at the antipodes, where the status of the Serbian makes people talk to the highest peak of the state …
Upon arrival in the state of Victoria, the Serbian was served. The Federal Border Force, the border police, in fact noticed before the landing that the man with the 20 Grand Slams had submitted the wrong type of visa to be allowed to enter the state. The visa presented by the nine-time winner of the first Grand Slam of the season does not allow medical exemptions for non-vaccination.
The Border Force has therefore requested help from the state government, which is working with the Australian federation to organize the Australian Open. Without success.
Djokovic was therefore placed all alone in a room guarded by two police officers, according to his father’s version to a Serbian media. In the middle of the Australian night, he was still “in solitary”, before finally having his visa canceled!
The organizers ask the world No. 1 to explain himself publicly
Acting Sports Minister Jaala Pulford explained on Twitter: “We will not be providing support for Novak Djokovic’s individual visa application to compete in the 2022 Grand Slam Australian Open. We have always been clear on two points: visa approvals are the responsibility of the federal government and medical exemptions are the responsibility of physicians. “
Home Secretary Karen Andrews said earlier today that “anyone seeking entry into Australia must comply with our strict border requirements.” “Although the government of Victoria and Tennis Australia may allow an unvaccinated player to participate in the Australian Open, it is the Commonwealth government that will enforce our requirements at the Australian border,” she continued. .
Amid the rising outcry, the Victorian government and Tennis Australia have asked Djokovic to lift medical secrecy and publicly explain why he was granted an exemption to enter the country without proving his vaccine status. Apparently he didn’t convince.