Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

“Djokovic Australian detention saga all about politics”

Novak Djokovic’s Australian visa row centered on politics, according to the tennis star’s father, and knowing the good relationship Serbia has with China and the bad relationship Australia is developing against China.
The victory for Novak Djokovic in a Melbourne court proves his right to be in Australia, the tennis star’s father Srdjan told the media as he reacted to the decision to free the world number one from detention.

Djokovic was finally ordered to be released on Monday after a Melbourne Federal Circuit Court judge deemed that his detention by the border authorities upon arrival in the country last week had been “unreasonable”.

Djokovic, 34, had traveled to Australia with a medical exemption which he believed enabled him to compete at this month’s Australian Open after confirmation from officials at both Tennis Australia and in Victoria state.

Border forces, however, deemed that recovery from a Covid infection in December was not sufficient for Djokovic to enter the country as he is a non-resident and is not vaccinated against Covid-19.

Djokovic won his appeal on Monday against the decision to cancel his visa, although Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke has reserved the right to intervene personally in the case – meaning the 20-time Grand Slam winner could yet be deported before the Australian Open gets underway on January 17.

Djokovic’s father, Srdjan, has been a vocal supporter of his son throughout the ordeal, condemning the Australian authorities for their actions.

On the sidelines of a Belgrade press conference held after the court decision, Srdjan exclusively told the media that the row was purely about political games.

“He’s done everything they asked him to do. He’s received the court’s decision that allows him to stay and play tennis,” Djokovic Sr. said.

“It’s incredulous in itself that this happened to him, but it happened, and it was in no way related to sport – it was all politics.

“But as you can see, politics couldn’t beat him this time.”

The case seemingly exposed glaring discrepancies between the Australian tennis authorities and officials in Victoria state on the one hand, and the Australian federal government on the other.

Given the strong stance by the likes of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Djokovic’s case, Monday’s court decision could be taken as an embarrassing defeat for the government.

“He proved his right, he wouldn’t have traveled there if he hadn’t had permission from the government and the association of tennis of Australia, because all these permissions went through the tennis association,” Srjdan said.

“They provided federal and local authorities in Victoria with requests. We never had to deal with politics – our politics is tennis. But of course we expect Novak to win his 21st Grand Slam and 10th Australian Open.”

At the Djokovic family press conference, the star’s mother, Dijana, had said her son’s court victory was greater than any of his 20 Grand Slam triumphs.

“This is his biggest win in his career, it is bigger than any Grand Slam,” she said.

“He was subjected to torture, to harassment and we will hear even more about what he had to go through.

And of course, he fought against that system and against the government because he thought he had the right to be there with a visa that he got.”

Djokovic’s uncle, Goran, had likewise told the media that his nephew had been “trapped like an animal” at the hands of the Australian authorities.

After being questioned following his arrival last Wednesday, Djokovic had been moved to a Melbourne hotel run by the immigration authorities which is notorious for its poor conditions for detainees.

Upon his release on Monday, Djokovic wasted little time in heading to the courts to train at Melbourne Park.

In a social media message, Djokovic told fans that he was determined to put the saga behind him and remain “focused” on competing at a tournament he has won a record nine times previously, and for the past three years in a row.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×