Novak Djokovic to remain in detention during court challenge to Australian visa cancellation
Source: The Guardian and agencies
Novak Djokovic to remain in detention during court challenge to Australian visa cancellation
Australian Open champion is challenging his deportation after the Australian prime minister said officials were ‘following the rules’
Emma Kemp and agencies
Thu 6 Jan 2022 08.50 GMT
Novak Djokovic is awaiting his Australian Open fate in a Melbourne immigration hotel as the world No 1 mounts a legal challenge against Australia’s decision to cancel his visa.
Djokovic’s lawyers succeeded in a bid to stop him from being deported on Thursday with a full hearing in the federal circuit court now scheduled for Monday.
The tennis champion spent eight hours detained at Melbourne airport overnight before Australian Border Force officials announced he had been denied entry into the country on Thursday morning. They cited a failure to meet Australia’s Covid vaccination exemption requirements.
It is understood the reigning Australian Open champion was relying on a previous Covid infection as the basis for his exemption to compete – but that is not recognised by the federal government.
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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/jan/06/novak-djokovic-to-challenge-australian-visa-cancellation-in-federal-court