Australian Open 2022 – Djokovic AO2022 VISA Cancellation: The move by the Australian government to cancel Novak Djokovic’s visa has threatened to cause a diplomatic incident between Canberra and Belgrade. World number one tennis player was denied entry into Australia on Thursday after initially being granted a medical exemption: Follow all AO2022 LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN
“I’ve just finished my telephone conversation with Novak Djokovic,” Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic posted on Instagram.
“I told our Novak that the whole of Serbia is with him and that our bodies are doing everything to see that the harassment of the world’s best tennis player is brought to an end immediately.
“In line with all norms of international law, Serbia will fight for Novak, truth and justice. Novak is strong, as we all know.”
Australian Open 2022: No AO22 for World No 1? Check Details WHY?
Djokovic AO2022 VISA Cancellation: Diplomatic row erupts after Djokovic calls Serbian President, player set to seek injunction to stop his removal from Australia: Follow LIVE Updates
Vucic had summoned the Australian ambassador in Belgrade and demanded that they immediately release Djokovic to play, Serbian media reported.
The tennis star, who was left stranded at Melbourne’s Tullamarine airport overnight amid a brewing political maelstrom, was issued a letter by the Australian government saying that his visa had been denied and he would be removed from the country on Thursday, a source close to the tournament told Reuters.
Australian Open 2022 – Djokovic AO2022 VISA Cancellation: Australia’s border force later confirmed that his visa had been revoked.
“Mr Djokovic failed to provide appropriate evidence to meet the entry requirements to Australia, and his visa has been subsequently cancelled,” the Australian Border Force said in a statement.
“Non-citizens who do not hold a valid visa on entry or who have had their visa cancelled will be detained and removed from Australia,” it added.
“The Australian Border Force will continue to ensure that those who arrive at our border comply with our laws and entry requirements.”
Australian Open 2022:The player would file an injunction to prevent him from being sent back, the source said. In the meantime, Djokovic was on his way to a Melbourne hotel.
In a dramatic series of events through the Melbourne night, Djokovic touched down at Tullamarine airport at about 11.30pm local time on Wednesday after a 14-hour flight from Dubai, but was ushered into an isolation room under police guard when Australian officials said that his visa did not allow for medical exemptions.
The source told Reuters that the visa and paperwork that Djokovic had used to gain entry into the country was the same as three other players who had already arrived.
Djokovic AO2022 VISA Cancellation: Diplomatic row erupts after Djokovic calls Serbian President, player set to seek injunction to stop his removal from Australia: Follow LIVE Updates
Djokovic Australian Open: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has faced an enormous backlash over his government’s decision to grant Djokovic a medical exemption from vaccination to play at the Open, leading to fingerpointing between the prime minister’s conservative administration and the left-leaning Victorian government led by Premier Dan Andrews.
Australia, especially the state of Victoria, has endured the world’s longest cumulative COVID-19 lockdown, and an outbreak of the Omicron variant has sent case numbers to record levels.
Morrison had warned the previous day that if Djokovic did not have the evidence for his exemption he “will be on the next plane home”.
In a tweet addressing Djokovic’s visa cancellation, Morrison said that the country’s strict border policies had been critical to keeping death rates low.
Mr Djokovic’s visa has been cancelled. 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.
— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) January 5, 2022
“Rules are rules, especially when it comes to our borders,” he said.
“No one is above these rules.”
Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said that the government made “no apologies” for protecting the border.
“Individuals who do not meet our strict requirements will be denied entry to Australia, it does not matter who they are,” she said in a statement.
Australian Open 2022 – How the Drama Unfolded?
Djokovic came in on an Emirates flight, but when border officials contacted the Victorian government to ask if the state would formally support the world number one’s visa, it said it would not.
“The federal government has asked if we will support Novak Djokovic’s visa application to enter Australia,” Victoria’s acting sports minister Jaala Pulford said.
“We will not be providing Novak Djokovic with individual visa application support to participate in the 2022 Australian Open Grand Slam.
“We’ve always been clear on two points: Visa approvals are a matter for the federal government, and medical exemptions are a matter for doctors.”
ANGRY AUSSIES
The Serbian, who has previously declined to reveal his vaccination status, has won nine titles at Melbourne Park in the state of Victoria, including the last three. He confirmed on Tuesday that he had received a vaccination exemption to allow him to play at the Australian Open, which starts on Jan 17.
Australian Open 2022 – What does the rules say? All participants at the first Grand Slam of 2022 must be vaccinated against COVID-19 or have a medical exemption, which is granted only after assessment by two panels of independent experts.
Tournament chief Craig Tiley said that the defending champion had been given “no special favour”, but had urged him to reveal why he got the exemption to soothe public anger.
Among the conditions allowing entry without a vaccine is if a person has had COVID-19 in the past six months. It has not been revealed if that was the case with Djokovic.
Tiley said that just 26 of the approximately 3,000 players and support staff travelling to Australia for the tournament had applied for a vaccine exemption. Only a handful of those had been successful.
“Any person who met those conditions has been allowed to come in. There’s been no special favour. There’s been no special opportunity granted to Novak,” Tiley said.
Djokovic voiced his opposition to the COVID-19 vaccine in April 2020 when it was suggested they might be obligatory so tournament play could resume.
