Novak Djokovic is on the verge of being kicked out of Australia. As mentioned by ESPN, the Australian government revoked Djokovic’s visa for the second time ahead of the Australian Open. This is all part of Djokovic being allowed to compete in the tournament despite not being vaccinated for COVID-19.
Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said he used his ministerial discretion to cancel Djokovic’s visa. The tennis star is now facing deportation three days before the start of the Australian Open, a tournament where he was won nine of his 20 Grand Slam Championships. Djokovic is appealing the decision and hoping his lawyers can get the same results from earlier in the week where a judge ruled in favor of him after his visa was canceled for the first time.
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If Djokovic, 34, is deported from Australia, he could be banned from the country for three years. In a statement, Hawke said that he canceled Djokovic’s visa on “health and good order grounds, on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so.” He also said that Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s government “is firmly committed to protecting Australia’s borders, particularly in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Everyone, who attends the Australian Open — including players, support teams and fans — is required to be vaccinated. Djokovic is not vaccinated and has sought medical exemption for contracting COVID-19 in December. The exemption was approved by the Victoria state government and Tennis Australia, allowing him to obtain a visa to travel. But the Australian Border force rejected the exception and canceled his visa when he arrived in Melbourne on Jan. 5.
“This pandemic has been incredibly difficult for every Australian, but we have stuck together and saved lives and livelihoods. … Australians have made many sacrifices during this pandemic, and they rightly expect the result of those sacrifices to be protected,” Morrison said in a statement. “This is what the Minister is doing in taking this action today.”
Djokovic has won the last three Australian Opens. He’s coming off a very strong 2021 season where he won the French Open and Wimbledon and reached the finals of the U.S. Open. In his career, Djokovic has won 86 ATP singles titles and 37 Masters Events. He is currently ranked as the No. 1 tennis player in the world.
