Djokovic says the Australian green light was the latest COVID infection and Reuters

By Courtney Walsh and Byron Kayer

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Novak Djokovic refused to enter the world’s top tennis numbers in Australia on Saturday, saying he had been given a medical exemption from a vaccine against COVID-19 because he contracted the disease last month.

Djokovic said in a court hearing on Monday that his visa was revoked, he had received an exemption from the organizer of the Tennis Australia tournament, saying he had been allowed to enter the country with a letter of follow-up from the Home Office.

The Serbian player, who is aiming to win his 21st Grand Slam at the Australian Open this month, is on his third day in immigration detention in Melbourne – a case that has caused a sporting, political and diplomatic uproar.

Opponent of the vaccination orders, Djokovic has been confined in a humble hotel since Thursday after his visa was revoked due to problems with the medical exemption from the immigration requirement for the coronavirus vaccine in the country he filed.

The drama has caused tensions between Serbia and Australia and has also become a point for opponents of vaccine orders around the world.

“I explained that I had recently been infected with COVID in December 2021 and that I was entitled to a medical exemption under the Australian Government’s rules and guidelines,” Djokovic said of his experience at the Melbourne Airport detention center.

Djokovic told Australian Border Forces officials that “I had made the Australian Travel Declaration correctly and otherwise met all the necessary conditions for my visa to enter Australia legally”.

Djokovic had his first positive COVID-19 test on Dec. 16, but by Dec. 30, “he had no fever or COVID-19 symptoms in the last 72 hours,” the file says.

On January 1, he said he had received a document from Home Affairs stating that his response met the “requirements to arrive in Australia without quarantine”.

The federal court has ordered the submission of its answer to the Home Office on Sunday.

Border Forces, a Home Affairs unit, did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment on Saturday.

The Australian Open will start on 17 January.

Many countries accept a new COVID infection as a reason to be exempted from vaccination requirements. The Australian federal government issued a letter immediately after Djokovic arrived, informing Tennis Australia that this was not necessarily the case in the country.

The federal and Victorian governments and Tennis Australia have denied responsibility for the lawsuit.

Meanwhile, Czech player Renata Voracova, who was arrested at the same detention hotel as Djokovic and had her visa revoked, had problems with the exception, https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/tennis-player-voracova-left-. australia-ater-visa-issues-tchech-foreign-ministry-2022-01-08 country on Saturday, the Czech Foreign Ministry said.

The ministry said it had left “based on its decision” “the complications of the visa and the end of participation in the tournament” and that “the decision was not based on expulsion from the country”.

GIVE FOOD AND SCHEDULE TO THE PLAYER

A media report from Djokovic’s court file confirmed that he had asked to be taken to the accommodation to enter the tennis court, but that his request had been denied. Park Hotel https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/visa-limbo-djokovic-housed-with-asylum-seekers-australian-hotel-2022-01-07, where he stays, also lives. dozens of asylum seekers trying to enter the country.

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said the player had been given gluten-free food, exercise tools and a SIM card.

“He will stay at the Park Hotel until the final decision is made,” Brnabic told Serbian media.

“We have managed to make sure that the gluten-free food is delivered to him, as well as exercise tools, a laptop and a SIM card so that he can keep in touch with his family.”

“It’s a positive tone on the Australian side. The Serbian government is ready to provide all the necessary guarantees for Novak to join Australia, including the Serbian president (Aleksandar Vucic),” Brnabic said.

The player’s family has been providing support for the past few days and his father Srdjan Djokovic said on Saturday that he was “disgusted” with his son’s treatment in Australia.

“He feels love, he’s a mental rock. If the court decides he has to leave Australia, he’ll leave. If he decides he can stay, he’ll stay. But politicians won’t decide the fate of the world’s best sportsman. All time,” he told the Belgrade parliament on Saturday in his appearance, scattered people.

‘SHOCK AND MIXTURE’

In Djokovic’s case, he said he was “shocked, shocked” and “confused” when he was arrested last night, and prepared a bed next to the airport interview room so he could rest while waiting until dawn, and Tennis Australia says the file.

Eventually, Customs officials “put pressure” on Djokovic to conduct an interview before speaking with them, the file says.

Tennis Australia said it had never been known to deceive players and always asked players to be vaccinated, after the News Corp (NASDAQ 🙂 papers published a document from the organization, apparently advising players on ways to enter the country with a medical vaccine exemption.

“We strongly reject the fact that the game team was deliberately deceived,” Tennis Australia said in a statement quoted by local media.

Tennis Australia’s advice was based on the contents of the federal government’s website mentioned by the federal health minister, the statement added.

Tennis Australia did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.