Novak Djokovic has been held in isolation since his original visa was cancelled on arrival in Australia on Thursday; the world No 1 had said he had flown to Australia with an “exemption” ahead of defending his men’s singles title at the Australian Open
Last Updated: 10/01/22 6:45am
Novak Djokovic has won an appeal against a decision to refuse him a visa in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia ahead of the Australian Open.
Judge Anthony Kelly has quashed the visa cancellation, and ordered the Australian Government to pay legal costs and release Djokovic from detention within half an hour.
Government counsel Christopher Tran notified the court that the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs – not the minister who made the original visa cancellation – will now consider whether to exercise a personal power of cancellation of Djokovic’s visa.
More to follow…
Novak Djokovic – Sequence of events
| January 4 – Djokovic announces he will be travelling to Australia with an ‘exemption permission’. |
| January 5 – While Djokovic is airborne, Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the athlete will be on the “next plane home” if he cannot provide “acceptable proof” that his exemption is legitimate. |
| Acting Sports Minister Jaala Pulford highlights that the local government of Victoria, where the Australian Open is held, will not support Djokovic’s visa application. |
| The world No 1 arrives at Melbourne Airport around 11.30pm local time. |
| January 6 – Around 3.15am, Djokovic’s father reports that his son is being held in isolation in Melbourne Airport. |
| At 5am, Goran Ivanisevic releases an image on social media of himself and another member of Djokovic’s team seemingly waiting for the world No 1. The post is captioned, ‘Not the most usual trip Down Under’. |
| Around 8.15am local time, Djokovic’s visa is confirmed to have been denied by the Australian Border Force. |
| Djokovic is moved to quarantine hotel while his legal team appeal visa cancellation. |
| The appeal against his visa cancellation is adjourned until Monday (Jan 10) morning Australian time. |
| January 7 – Australia Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews says Djokovic is “free to leave any time” and is not being detained. |
| Djokovic breaks silence in Instagram post on Friday, thanking his fans for their “continuous support”. |
| January 8 – Submission from Djokovic’s lawyers on Saturday reveals positive Covid-19 test in December. |
| January 9 – Home Affairs Minister Andrews has a submission to delay the hearing until Wednesday (Jan 12) rejected by Judge Anthony Kelly. |
| Submission from Australian government lawyers says Djokovic had not been given an assurance he would be allowed to enter the country with his medical exemption. |
Djokovic’s Aussie Open debacle: What’s happened?
Djokovic flew to Australia with a ‘vaccine exemption’ and arrived in Melbourne on Wednesday, but was ultimately denied entry into the country after nine hours at the airport.
The Serb’s visa was one that did not allow for medical exemptions and was cancelled, after which he was moved to hotel quarantine as his team launched an appeal – this appeal has been adjourned until Monday morning at 10am local time (Sunday 11pm GMT).
The Australian Home Affairs department appealed for the hearing to be delayed until Wednesday, but their request was rejected on Sunday by Judge Anthony Kelly.
On Sunday, the govt filled documents in defence of their decision to deny Djokovic entry. “This is because there is no such thing as an assurance of entry by a non-citizen into Australia. Rather, there are criteria and conditions for entry, and reasons for refusal or cancellation of a visa,” the government’s filing said.
Source : Sky Sports
