Tennis star Novak Djokovic is once again facing deportation from Australia after the Australian government revoked his visa.
Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke explained on Friday that he had used his ministerial power to cancel the visa for reasons of public interest.
Australian authorities have agreed to wait for the court to rule on the tennis player’s case before deporting him, a government lawyer said on Friday.
Novak Djokovic will not be detained before an interrogation scheduled for Saturday morning before the immigration services, and will not be deported before the justice has ruled on his appeal against the cancellation of his visa, said this lawyer, Stephen Lloyd, during an interim hearing before a judge in Melbourne.
Novak Djokovic has so far refused to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The 34-year-old Serbian star was due to take part in the Australian Open tennis tournament which begins on Sunday. The world number one in the ATP ranking has won this tournament ten times, including the last three editions.
Novak Djokovic’s lawyers are expected to appeal the minister’s decision. A few days ago, their first call was successful after their client’s visa was canceled upon arrival in Melbourne; he was therefore allowed to stay in Australia for the past few days.
If he were to be deported from Australia, Novak Djokovic would face the possibility of not being able to set foot there again for three years.
Djokovic’s court documents said he tested positive for COVID-19 last month. He and the tennis tournament organizers thought he would qualify for an exemption from the vaccination rules, but the federal government disagreed.
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