A few days after the organizers of the Australian Open granted an exceptional playing right to Novak Djokovic, Australian customs refused entry into the country of the world number one.
The news was first received by various media, including the Australian newspaper The Age, then confirmed by Australian Customs in the late afternoon, Tuesday. The Serbian player’s visa was refused upon entering Australian soil.
“ABF [la douane australienne] will continue to ensure that those who cross our border respect and apply our laws and guidelines. The ABF can confirm that Mr Djokovic failed to show sufficient evidence and valid documents to enter Australia and his visa was therefore canceled. Non-residents who do not have a valid visa or who have had their visa canceled will be detained and then returned from Australia, ”Australian customs said in a statement.
Djokovic still refuses to confirm whether he has been vaccinated against COVID-19, which violates Australian government laws. He had obtained an exemption to be able to travel to Melbourne. “Foreign nationals who do not have a valid visa or whose visa has been canceled will be detained and deported from Australia,” Customs said.
The 34-year-old was reportedly questioned for long hours at Melbourne airport by customs agencies, before being denied access. His lawyers are said to be even ready to challenge the ruling and appeal, if necessary.
Everything indicates that he will not be able to play the first grand slam of the season at the end of January and thus try to win a 21e major title. Djoko has taken top honors in Melbourne nine times, more than anyone in history.
Turnaround situation
Novak Djokovic believed he had done the hard part in obtaining a medical waiver to be able to participate in the Australian Open.
Djokovic was all smiles to announce his departure for Melbourne on his Instagram account Tuesday. But the Serbian champion, who had opposed compulsory vaccination but never communicated regarding his own vaccination status, was disillusioned upon his arrival in Australia. Djoko would not have completed the correct form to apply for a visa and the visa he requested does not authorize a medical exemption.
The Federal Customs Service contacted the government of the state of Victoria, of which Melbourne is the capital, when Camp Djokovic saw their mistake.
But this request was rebutted, says Jaala Pulford, a minister of the state of Victoria.
“The federal government has asked us if we support Novak Djokovic’s visa application to enter Australia. We will not endorse this request. […] We have always been clear on two points: the study of visa applications is a prerogative of the federal government and medical exemptions a prerogative of doctors, ”she explained on Twitter.
For months, the Serbian had cast doubt on his participation in the first Grand Slam of the year, due to the obligation for players to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter Australia.
The world No. 1 spoke in April 2020 against compulsory vaccination, then considered to allow the resumption of tournaments. “Personally, I am not for vaccines. I would not like someone to force me to be vaccinated to travel, ”he said at the time.
He finally announced Tuesday that he had obtained a medical exemption allowing him to make the trip to Australia. The country’s regulations provide for this type of exemption in five specific cases (having contracted COVID-19 in the previous six months, serious medical contraindication …), but the federation, citing medical confidentiality, refused to say which one is applied to Djokovic.
The move sparked an uproar in Australia, where measures put in place to fight COVID-19 have been particularly stringent since the start of the pandemic.
It is a “spitting in the face of any inhabitant of the State of Victoria and any Australian,” wrote the former tennis player Sam Groth, who became a television commentator, in a column published by the daily. Herald sun from Melbourne.
A diplomatic incident?
According to several sources, the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, is already involved in the matter. Not only does he support Djokovic, but he has also allegedly skinned Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in the process.
“I told him that Serbia was behind him. Our government is doing everything in its power to stop the harassment of the world’s best tennis player immediately. […] We will fight for justice and truth. ”