Tennis superstar Novak Djokovic to be deported as he loses visa appeal ahead of Australian open

The Australian government had earlier cancelled his visa twice due to a non-vaccination status.

Shivani
Published on: 16 Jan 2022 8:12 AM GMT
Tennis superstar Novak Djokovic to be deported as he loses visa appeal ahead of Australian open
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Novak Djokovic

Tennis superstar Novak Djokovic's visa appeal was turned down by the Australian Federal Court and he will now be deported, as per BBC. The Australian government had earlier cancelled his visa twice due to a non-vaccination status. The Serbian tennis star was scheduled to play against fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovic on Monday.

Novak Djokovic

Earlier, Australia Immigration Minister Alex Hawke had cancelled his visa for the second time. He had stated that the move to cancel Djokovic's visa was a decision in the "public interest". Upholding Hawke's decision, Chief Justice James Allsop said the court's ruling to cancel the athlete's visa was unanimous. The court is yet to release a detailed statement in the matter/

According to a report in BBC, Djokovic has been staying at an immigration detention hotel in Melbourne, the same place he was taken after his visa was first revoked following his arrival on 6 January. He has also been reportedly training there.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison also stood by Immigration Minister Alex Hawke's decision to revoke Novak Djokovic's . visa. The PM had issued a statement to the media, which read, "This pandemic has been incredibly difficult for every Australian but we have stuck together and saved lives and livelihoods. Together we have achieved one of the lowest death rates, strongest economies and highest vaccination rates, in the world. Australians have made many sacrifices during this pandemic, and they rightly expect the result of those sacrifices to be protected. This is what the Minister is doing in taking this action today."

Djokovic's ambition of a 10th Australian Open title and a record 21st Grand Slam is unlikely to go through.

Shivani

Shivani

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