Tennis: Novak Djokovic has cleared to compete in the Australian Open by court
The Australian Government's decision to revoke the Serbian tennis player's visa was rejected by the Federal Court
After the Federal Court rejected the Australian Government's decision to cancel Novak Djokovic's visa, he has been authorised to compete in the Australian Open. The defending champion's chances of winning a record 21st Grand Slam championship at the 2017 Australian Open have been rekindled.
Djokovic, 34, has been confined in an immigration detention hotel among long-term asylum seeker detainees since Thursday, when Federal Circuit Court Judge Anthony Kelly ordered his immediate release.
His visa was revoked by the Australian government immediately after he arrived in Melbourne late Wednesday, after officials determined he didn't fulfil the threshold for an exemption from the requirement that all non-citizens be completely vaccinated against COVID-19.
Djokovic, who according to court documents is unvaccinated, maintained that he did not need proof of vaccination because he had indications of coronavirus infection last month. People who have been infected with COVID-19 within the last six months are eligible for a temporary exemption from the vaccination requirement, according to Australian medical officials.
Djokovic had given officials at Melbourne's airport a medical exemption granted by Tennis Australia, which is organising the tournament that begins on Jan. 17, as well as two medical panels, according to Circuit Court Judge Anthony Kelly. "The point I'm somewhat agitated about is what more could this man have done?" Nick Wood, Djokovic's lawyer, was questioned by Kelly.
However, federal government attorneys warned the court that the country's immigration minister was reserving the right to use his personal authority to revoke Djokovic's visa once more.
The Australian government stated non-citizens had no right of assured entrance to Australia, questioned his claimed exemption and highlighted that even Djokovic wins the court suit, it reserved the power to detain him again and deport him from the country.
He was permitted to visit his lawyers' chambers for the virtual sessions but has not been seen in public since he landed in Australia.
