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How the tennis star was detained: NPR

Novak Djokovic poses for a photo at a tournament in Italy in November 2021.

Julian Finney / Getty Images


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Novak Djokovic poses for a photo at a tournament in Italy in November 2021.

Julian Finney / Getty Images

The Australian Open is still over a week away, but all eyes have been on Melbourne to see how the story of Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic plays out.

Djokovic – the world’s top-ranked men’s tennis player and a vaccine skeptic – appeared to defend his title at this year’s tournament after months of speculation about whether he would join the competition. due to Australia’s strict vaccination requirements for tourists.

But instead, immigration officials canceled his visa after being held for hours at Melbourne Airport.

Now, Djokovic remains in immigration detention ahead of his court date on Monday, just a week before the tournament begins.

“If that evidence is not enough, then he will not be treated differently from anyone else and he will be on the next flight home,” Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said at a news conference on Thursday. Private. “There shouldn’t be any special rules for Novak Djokovic. There aren’t any.”

These events made the world of tennis brilliant. Rafael Nadal, who currently shares the record for most men’s singles titles won with Djokovic with 20 titles each, on Thursday said he feels “sorry” for Djokovic – but added that Djokovic was aware of the condition joined for several months.

“If he wants to, he will play in Australia without a problem,” Nadal said on Thursday during a press conference in Melbourne. “He makes his own decisions. He’s free to take his own position, but then there are some consequences.”

Here’s how it all goes:

Before this week, there was much speculation about whether Djokovic could participate

For months, tennis watchers have speculated about whether Djokovic will be allowed to attend the Australian Open.

Although no man has won more singles titles at the Open than Djokovic, who has won it nine times, the star has long refused to reveal his vaccination status and has repeatedly criticized the duties. vaccination.

In October, he told Serbian news agency Blic Sport that he might not attend the Open because he did not want to reveal whether he had been vaccinated.

Throughout the pandemic, Australia has had some of the strictest COVID-19 restrictions of any country. Although it is currently experiencing its largest-ever outbreak, Australia has largely avoided the scale of outbreaks and deaths seen in the US and Europe.

Among the country’s measures is a requirement that people arriving from abroad be fully immunized, with usually limited exemptions. Non-exempt unvaccinated travelers are allowed in the country, but must submit a two-week quarantine upon arrival.

But federal government officials, Victorian authorities and tournament organizers sometimes give seemingly contradictory statements about whether unvaccinated players are allowed to participate in the tournament. no, whether they will be required to quarantine for two weeks or whether they will be allowed to stay in the country. at all.

Even when Tennis Australia put Djokovic on the Open roster last month, the speculation continued.

Djokovic announces he has been exempted, prompting criticism

The confusion seemed to end early Tuesday when Djokovic announced on social media that he had received a “waiver permit” and posted a photo of himself at an airport, apparently en route to Australia.

The exemption has been confirmed by the tournament organizers. Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley told the Australian news program Today that Djokovic’s exemption was granted based on “personal medical information” and “no special favors” involved.

26 athletes have applied for a waiver, of which “a handful” have been approved, Tiley said in the same interview, which aired Wednesday before Djokovic arrived at the airport.

Tennis Australia said requests for a waiver, including that of Djokovic, had been reviewed by “two separate independent panels of medical professionals” who had applied the same relevant government guidelines. used by the state of Australia, Tennis Australia said in a statement on Tuesday. One of the boards designated by the Victorian Department of Health.

Tiley said Wednesday that exemptions from the immunization requirements can be granted for a variety of reasons, including a documented adverse reaction to a vaccination or having been infected with COVID-19 in the previous six months. there.

Many news outlets have reported that Djokovic has applied for infection immunity before.

But federal border officials warned tournament organizers in November that people with previous COVID-19 infections would not be considered “fully vaccinated” for purposes of two-way quarantine. week, as reported by Sydney Morning Emissary.

Following Djokovic’s announcement, some in Australia criticized the decision to allow a seemingly unvaccinated tennis player into a country where residents have suffered multiple times of confinement and where nearly 92% of people aged 16 age and older are fully vaccinated. “We were seen as fools,” Written Kevin Bartlett, Australian football star and broadcaster.

The Australian Border Authority canceled his visa on arrival

Djokovic arrived at Melbourne Airport late on Wednesday with his coach and other support staff at Melbourne Airport. There, he was detained for several hours before being told early Thursday that his visa had been cancelled.

In a statement, the Australian Border Force said the tennis star had “failed to provide appropriate evidence” to be allowed into the country.

Government officials say any visa approval is preliminary and travelers must demonstrate their vaccination status or the validity of the waiver upon arrival.

“The rules are the rules, especially as far as our borders are concerned. Nobody is above these rules,” the prime minister wrote on Twitter on Thursday.

Djokovic is currently being held at the Park Hotel in Carlton, a popular immigration facility used to detain asylum seekers.

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, said the cancellation and detention amounted to “harassment” and asked Djokovic to be allowed to wait for legal proceedings in his own room.

The apparent disconnect between tournament organizers, state governments and federal border officials has raised questions about whether politics played a role in Djokovic’s decision to revoke his visa. or not.

A new round of federal elections is expected in the coming months. For politicians, allowing a non-citizen to attempt to circumvent COVID restrictions could be seen as unprofitable, especially in Melbourne, a city that by some calculations has locked down longer than any other city during the pandemic.

“You have this collective experience in Victoria who are subjected to this very draconian legislation. Then now it seems this tennis star was supposed to come to Australia without having to meet all of them. requirements that all other Australians must meet,” said Andrew Gibbons, an Australian political scientist at the University of Texas Austin.

Protesters demonstrate in support of Djokovic at the Serbian Parliament in Belgrade on Thursday.

Photo Srdjan Stevanovic / Getty


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Photo Srdjan Stevanovic / Getty


Protesters demonstrate in support of Djokovic at the Serbian Parliament in Belgrade on Thursday.

Photo Srdjan Stevanovic / Getty

What is next

With the tournament scheduled to begin on January 17, Djokovic said he would challenge the visa cancellation. A hearing has been scheduled for 10am on Monday local time in Melbourne. A court ordered Thursday that he could not be deported before that time.

If the legal challenge is unsuccessful, Djokovic faces deportation and the possibility of a three-year ban from Australia.

In addition, the Australian Border Force is currently investigating other people coming to the tennis tournament under a similar exemption, Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said on Thursday.

“I can assure you that the Australian Border Force is investigating that right now,” Andrews said in an interview with 2GB radio. “The ABF needs the opportunity to be able to conduct its investigation. But if the evidence is not there, then they will take appropriate action.”

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