Novak Djokovic will still be in Melbourne next Monday. Now the question is: will he still be in Melbourne the Monday after that?
Djokovic was initially scheduled to be deported out of Australia on Thursday after he was denied entry upon his arrival at the Melbourne airport on Wednesday night. The nine-time Australian Open champion failed to provide a valid excuse for being unvaccinated, and there was also a mixup with his visa application. Djokovic’s visa was promptly canceled by Australian authorities.
“Mr Djokovic’s visa has been cancelled,” prime minister Scott Morrison tweeted on Thursday morning. “Rules are rules, especially when it comes to our borders. No one is above these rules. Our strong border policies have been critical to Australia having one of the lowest death rates in the world from COVID, we are continuing to be vigilant.”
“The advice that I have literally just received before joining you is that the visa for Novak Djokovic has been canceled,” health minister Greg Hunt said at a news conference. “It’s a matter for him whether he wishes to appeal that, but if a visa is canceled somebody will have to leave the country.”
Djokovic is, in fact, appealing. His legal team will file an injunction to allow the world No. 1 to stay in Australia and compete in the season’s first Grand Slam — which begins on Jan. 17. The hearing in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia has been adjourned until Monday, Jan. 10 as Djokovic’s team prepares the necessary paperwork.
Thinking he was good to go for the Aussie Open after receiving a medical exemption from tournament officials earlier this week, Djokovic flew to Melbourne along with the rest of his team. Government officials, however, had other ideas.
Following a full night of unsuccessful negotiations at the Melbourne airport on Wednesday, 34-year-old Serb was transported to the Park Hotel — which is being used as an immigration detention center. He will remain there until Monday’s legal proceedings.
This whole thing has been a clusterfu*k on everyone’s parts. I do not for ONE SECOND believe that Djokovic tested positive for covid this past December. I do believe that Tiley did everything he could to get Djoker to Australia. What tournament director in his right mind would pass up the scenario where Djoker gets his 10th AO and his 23st slam at his tournament? It’s what wet dreams are made of! I’d sure NoVax believed he’d be rubber-stamped once he got to Oz. He has no idea how the Oz people feel about him and about vaccination. I feel for the judge though. No idea what she’s going to rule. Hopefully she’ll follow the law, whatever it is. But in the immortal words of Dickens “the law is a ass”.
Djokovic did not get Covid-19 in December. It’s just a convenient excuse he basically forged to get an exemption. Ramara you are absolutely correct.
Amy and sanju, regardless of legal precedent and the courts being impartial and often overruling the government, the main point is this: the border force and the prime minister made it abundantly clear that getting Covid-19 before, does not give people medical exemptionto enter Australia. In other words, whether you got Covid before or not, you cannot enter Australia with that excuse or reason unvaccinated, period. They made it crystal clear to Djokovic at the airport hence why they cancelled his visa and ignored his medical exemption.
The court and judge will likely abide by that and rule against Djokovic and deport him back to his country. Tennis Australia accepts medical exemption based on getting Covid in the past, ABF does not and has said so emphatically and also has the prime minister and the minister of health. The court is not going to overrule that in favour of Djokovic bc the ABF is a branch of government that will always supersede any tennis organization. Tennis Australia cannot come up with rules on who enters Australia unvaccinated based on whatever reason, that’s the government and border force’s job. Again, the court is not going to overrule that hence why voropova was deported. She can’t be deported and Djoko gets away. That’s not happening, not in Australia IMHO.
I am just trying to warn people that it could happen.
The law is not simple and straightforward about these things.
It’s better to be prepared for it happening no?
If you read the submission he received a mail from ministry of Home affairs that he is fine for quarantine free travel .isn’t that body of the govmt ?
Secondly say it’s proven its not his fault and it was TA who goofed up here and did not pass on correct infy , will he not be given benefit of doubt and allowed in ?
Thirdly Queens counsel is debating his case and supposedly they are the best
Lastly he is diehard crazy nole fan so not sure what to make of this tweet
This tweet i mean
https://mobile.twitter.com/pavyg/status/1479782777209991169
Well said Happy. The case as Djokovic’s lawyers are arguing it (essentially saying that Australia has no authority to require vaccination upon entry once it has issued a visa) would have widespread implications for Australia’s entry process and it would be extremely surprising if a judge were to allow the vaccination requirement to become less secure in this moment of high infections. It’s not impossible of course, judges do make radical decisions, but it would still be shocking and extremely controversial. The timeline thing adds to the bizarreness of the whole incident but doesn’t seem relevant to the case that the court will hear which is largely about who has the authority to cancel a visa.
There’s no point reading very partisan accounts!!
They are too biased.
If he didn’t have any symptoms why did he have the test?
It’s all incredibly fishy..
How could he rely on the results of a test when he didn’t even have any symptoms to get an exemption? That makes no sense.
Anyone else getting weary of the sheer endless tedious insanity of all this…?!
No, no, I’m still kind of enjoying the Drammer. None of the actors are looking good right now. I read a quote from one of Djokovic’ books. Apparently holding a slice of white bread against his stomach caused a total loss of strength in his right arm! To me that’s a sign of the strength of his belief system but not a sign of allergy to gluten! That man is so screwed up mentally it boggles my mind.
He’s in danger of bringing the game into disrepute with these ridiculous stories! This one makes zero sense in terms of logic and chronology unless it’s either a fabrication or he got it deliberately.
One thing is for sure: if I were a member of the border force hearing about this incredible chronology of events I wouldn’t believe it.
The real fault is with whoever gave Novax the approval to play
*points at Craig Tiley*
But there’s plenty of blame to go around. I am beginning to understand why Novax’ documentation was so skimpy. His story has more holes than Swiss cheese.
I just looked at the DysfunctionalTBlog. Somewhat remarkably, given it is full of Nole Farm, Sean has written a long post saying straight up what we have been saying, th at the chronology of events makes zero sense and Novax faked the covid test.
It’s hilarious seeing Nole Farm simply try to pretend none of this has been written and absolutely refuse to even look at the possibility this is true.
Link for this ?
How’s the mood there..nolefam on Twitter claiming lot of support for him 🙂
Did you read the response filed by govmt ?
Djokovic to play the AO. This will add a bit of spice to the event. Still dont think he will win.
There is still the possibility of him being re-detained.
Government may move to cancel Djokovic’s visa again after cancellation overturned
Government may move to cancel Djokovic’s visa again after cancellation overturned
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/novak-djokovic-court-case-live-updates-serbian-tennis-star-fights-to-play-in-2022-australian-open-20220110-p59n0m.html
There’s a good chance they will cancel he Visa again tomorrow. They just want to get all the facts together regarding how he gamed the system, so they can use it to support their decision. They don’t want to be perceived to be undermining the court and vindictive.
Agree.
The judge sort of indicated that would happen because he said wanted to be notified before any further papers are filed after his judgment.
The worst thing his family can do is make publicly announcements to rub the Australian government’s nose in it.
His parents n brother are really overdoing it. His wife has not spoken a word, why are these ppl going on and on
I don’t think they will cancel it now. It will look bad on them.
Ofcourse the parity issue exists that they deported 2 others with similar exemptions
Are you sure Sanju? there’s lots of attention right now on how Djokovic received a positive test result in 16/12 and was out and about on 17-18/12.
I think they are getting their facts together.
“positive test result on 16/12”
But anonymous that has nothing to do with his court decision and cancellation of visa ? How will the Australian govmt verify what he did in Serbia? How can they prove his covid certificate was fake if it was in first place ?
“I don’t think they will cancel it now. It will look bad on them.”
It will only look bad if it’s seen to be undermining the court decision and vindictive.
If they have solid grounds for stepping in, it wont look bad at all. It will look like they stopped him gaming the system.
Exactly anonymous. If they have solid grounds to cancel his visa again, they will do it regardless of how people feel about it. He had Covid and knew he had it and was seen walking maskless with children the next day and other days after that. People are undermining that saying that just means he’s a jerk and it has no relevance to the case. It does. Either that Covid test is fake or he recklessly endangered the lives of people and children with him carrying Covid around. People could have died (as Covid has killed a lot of people) and who knows what happened to them.
Let’s be honest here, there are loopholes to Djokovic testimony and if they found out he gamed the system, they will cancel his visa again immediately regardless of people’s opinion. I don’t think this is over.
Absolutely
The Murdoch media is very well connected with the Liberal National Party (The Australian Government) and they are starting to building momentum.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/tennis/australian-open/ugly-djokovic-truth-exposed-as-court-documents-reveal-details-of-fresh-visa-standoff/news-story/177d7c7395249e6a9eef084334c0567b
Either Djokovic’s test result was fake or he placed other people including young kids at risk.
Unbelievable what’s been happening regarding this Djokovic story.
I am confused but I think may be he should play but not sure how he would fare given all this disruption to his preparation and the non-stop distraction. Mentally on the court it would be tougher than anything he’s experienced before as the public is not going to be happy if he plays and it’s been easy to make him a villain in the past (often due to his own mistakes!).
Australian authorities have certainly messed up and Djokovic’s treatment at the airport wasn’t appropriate either. He actually had done what was asked of him.
The whole mystery around him attending that event on Dec 17th with a Covid positive on 16th is messed up though and I don’t know what to make of it.
What to make of Djoker out there being a super spreader? Why wouldn’t he? What evidence is there that he ever gives one thought to anyone else? The PTPA? Don’t make me laugh! Nothing but a publicity stunt to try to paint him as the leader he aspires to be. What has it EVER actually attempted to DO for the players? He’s all about his own precious divine body. Sorry for the rant but I am fed to the teeth with his antics.
I am fed up too. Used to defend him but not after the much more serious revelations about him in the autumn last year.