Budapest Post

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

Novak Djokovic: Tennis world number one denied entry to Australia and faces deportation after visa cancelled amid vaccine exemption row

Novak Djokovic: Tennis world number one denied entry to Australia and faces deportation after visa cancelled amid vaccine exemption row

Border officials said Djokovic failed to provide appropriate evidence to meet the entry requirements to Australia, and his hopes of defending his Australian Open title later this month now appear over.

Novak Djokovic has been denied entry to Australia by the country's border force and faces deportation after his visa was cancelled amid a row over his medical exemption from COVID vaccination rules.

The tennis star's hopes of defending his Australian Open title later this month now appear over.

Border officials said the world number one failed to provide appropriate evidence to meet the country's entry requirements.

Djokovic after winning the 2021 Australian Open


The 34-year-old Serbian player had been held up for several hours at Melbourne airport by a visa error and was ultimately refused entry.

But there have been suggestions he could appeal against the decision.

Djokovic, who has repeatedly declined to say whether he has been jabbed against coronavirus, confirmed on Tuesday he had received an exemption to compete in the nation's top tennis tournament.

But on landing in Melbourne, Victoria, late on Wednesday local time, the 20-time grand slam winner was waiting for permission to enter the country after his team had reportedly applied for a visa that does not allow for medical exemptions for being unvaccinated.

The sportsman, left stranded at the airport, has now been issued a letter by the Australian government saying his visa was denied and he would be deported.


Prime Minister Scott Morrison tweeted: "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."


Djokovic was 'left in room guarded by police'


The border force said: "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.

"The ABF (Australian Border Force) can confirm Mr Djokovic had access to his phone."

Before the announcement, Djokovic's coach Goran Ivanisevic posted a selfie on Instagram from the airport lounge with the caption: "Not the most usual trip from Down Under."


Border officials had earlier contacted government officials in Victoria to sponsor Djokovic's visa.

But they refused to do so and he was forced to wait for hours.

He was questioned by border officials, and his father Srdjan said his son spent time alone in a room guarded by police outside.

A fan of Djokovic in the arrivals hall at Melbourne airport


Outrage in Serbia


The Serbian president, Aleksandar Vucic, criticised the "harassment" of the country's sporting star, saying he had spoken on the phone to him and offered his support.

Mr Vucic said: "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."

Analysis by Tom Parmenter, sports correspondent


The waiting game at Melbourne airport ran on longer than any of Djokovic's epic five set battles.

One of the finest tennis players of all time, who is hunting a record-breaking 21st Grand Slam title this year, detained and questioned for over eight hours.

They wanted to know: where was the evidence to back up his medical exemption? Whatever he told the officials, it wasn't enough to convince them that he should be allowed in.

It is humiliating for Djokovic and embarrassing for the Australian Open. What a farce to let him think he'd get in and then withdraw permission right at the final stage.

Everyone is still working out how life works in this new world created by the pandemic - Australia has chosen a particularly hard line approach.

The one thing that this episode demonstrates is that non-vaccination can easily make you an outsider - whoever you are.


Djokovic falls foul of Australia's notoriously tough COVID border rules


Mr Morrison earlier said the tennis champion would be "on the next plane home" if he was unable to provide "acceptable proof" for a COVID vaccination exemption.

Rules in Victoria, where the tournament begins on 17 January, state players must be double-jabbed against COVID.

Australians had called the decision to give the top tennis star a medical exemption to enter the country "a slap in the face" after they endured months of harsh lockdowns.

Djokovic has not made public on what grounds his exemption had been granted.

But a possible explanation is that he contracted coronavirus for a second time at some point in the last six months, having previously caught it during his Adria Tour event in Belgrade in 2020.

That would negate the need for vaccination, according to rules published last year by one of two independent medical panels involved in the decision to grant him an exemption.

Only 26 people connected with the Australian Open applied for a medical exemption and just a "handful" - estimated to be around five - were granted, according to tournament boss Craig Tiley.

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
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×