Coronavirus: Novak Djokovic’s Australian visa revoked for 2nd time
ByMichelle Ewing, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
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Novak Djokovic’s Australian visa revoked for 2nd time (NCD)
ByMichelle Ewing, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
MELBOURNE, Australia — Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic is again facing deportation after Australia revoked his visa for the second time ahead of the Australian Open, which begins Monday, The Associated Press is reporting.
Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said in a statement Friday that he canceled the 34-year-old, top-ranked player’s visa “on health and good order grounds, on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so.”
Djokovic’s attorneys likely will appeal the decision, according to the AP.
The news came more than a week after Djokovic’s visa was first canceled Jan. 5 after he arrived in Australia because he has not been vaccinated against COVID-19, the news agency reported. At the time, officials argued that Djokovic, who said he tested positive for coronavirus last month, did not qualify for an exemption from a rule requiring all noncitizens to be fully vaccinated against the disease before entering the country.
On Monday, Australian Circuit Court Judge Anthony Kelly rejected the initial attempt to cancel Djokovic’s visa, pointing out that the athlete had received medical exemptions from Tennis Australia and two medical panels.
“What more could this man have done?” the judge asked Monday, the AP reported.
Kelly also ordered officials to release Djokovic from immigration detention in a Melbourne hotel, where he had been in quarantine, according to the news agency.
Prior to Monday’s ruling, attorneys for Home Affairs Minister Karen Andres had said they might cancel Djokovic’s visa again if the judge ruled in his favor, according to the AP. Although Australian officials may grant temporary exemptions to people who have recovered from COVID-19 within the past six months, the prior infections must be classified as “acute,” Andres’ lawyers said. Djokovic, they argued, has not proven that his illness was acute.
Djokovic on Thursday was officially named the top men’s seed for the tournament.
New coronavirus cases and deaths appear to be on the rise in Australia. As of Thursday, the country was averaging more than 96,000 new cases per day – an increase of 492% over the past two weeks, according to The New York Times. Over the same 14-day period, the average number of new daily deaths rose to 31, an increase of 284%, the newspaper reported.
Photos: Novak Djokovic through the years Here are some memorable photos of tennis star Novak Djokovic through the years. (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Photos: Novak Djokovic through the years 2004: Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Montenegro in action against Dannis Van Scheppinggen of the Netherlands during the first round of the ATP Thailand Open at the Inpact Arena on September 28, 2004, in Bangkok, Thailand. (Ian Walton/Getty Images)
Photos: Novak Djokovic through the years 2005: Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates beating Gael Monfils of France during the first round of the US Open at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park on August 30, 2005, in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Djokovic won 7-5, 4-6, 7-6, 0-6, 7-5. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Photos: Novak Djokovic through the years 2006: Andy Murray of Great Britain and Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Montenegro celebrate a point in their doubles match against Fabrice Santoro of France and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia and Montenegro during Day 4 of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park January 19, 2006, in Melbourne, Australia. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Photos: Novak Djokovic through the years 2007: Tennis pro Novak Djokovic poses for a portrait shoot on April 15, 2007, in Monte Carlo, Monaco. (Clive Brunskill/Exclusive by Getty Images)
Photos: Novak Djokovic through the years 2008: Novak Djokovic of Serbia poses with his trophy following his victory at the Men's Singles at the Australian Open 2008 on January 28, 2008, in Melbourne, Australia. (Kristian Dowling/Getty Images)
Photos: Novak Djokovic through the years 2009: Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates with the trophy after defeating Roger Federer of Switzerland in the final during Day 7 of the Davidoff Swiss Indoors Tennis at St. Jakobshalle on November 8, 2009, in Basel, Switzerland. (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Photos: Novak Djokovic through the years 2010: Rafael Nadal of Spain (right) poses with the championship trophy alongside runner up Novak Djokovic of Serbia (left) after their men's singles final on Day 15 of the 2010 U.S. Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 13, 2010, in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Photos: Novak Djokovic through the years 2011: Novak Djokovic of Serbia kisses the trophy as he celebrates defeating Rafael Nadal of Spain during the Men's Final on Day 15 of the 2011 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 12, 2011, in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Photos: Novak Djokovic through the years 2012: Novak Djokovic of Serbia poses with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup and the clock after winning championship point and playing in the longest grand slam final ever in his men's final match against Rafael Nadal of Spain during Day 14 of the 2012 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 29, 2012, in Melbourne, Australia. (Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
Photos: Novak Djokovic through the years 2013: Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates winning against Richard Gasquet of France during their men's semifinal match of the 2013 China Open at the National Tennis Center on October 5, 2013, in Beijing, China. (Feng Li/Getty Images)
Photos: Novak Djokovic through the years 2014: Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates winning a game against Milos Raonic of Canada during Day 7 of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia tennis 2014 on May 17, 2014, in Rome, Italy. (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Photos: Novak Djokovic through the years 2015: Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates with the winner's trophy after defeating Roger Federer of Switzerland during their Men's Singles Final match on Day 14 of the 2015 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 13, 2015, in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Djokovic defeated Federer 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Photos: Novak Djokovic through the years 2016: Serena Williams of the USA and Novak Djokovic of Serbia pose with the trophies during the 2016 Australian Open official draw at Melbourne Park on January 15, 2016, in Melbourne, Australia. (Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
Photos: Novak Djokovic through the years 2017: Novak Djokovic of Serbia stretches to hit a forehand during the men's singles third round match against Diego Schwartzman of Argentina on Day 6 of the 2017 French Open at Roland Garros on June 2, 2017, in Paris, France. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Photos: Novak Djokovic through the years 2018: Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates a point duirng his men's singles third-round match against Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain during Day 6 of the 2018 French Open at Roland Garros on June 1, 2018, in Paris, France. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Photos: Novak Djokovic through the years 2019: Novak Djokovic of Serbia poses with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup following victory in his Men's Singles Final match against Rafael Nadal of Spain during Day 14 of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 27, 2019, in Melbourne, Australia. (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Photos: Novak Djokovic through the years 2020: Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays a forehand during his Men's Singles third-round match against Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan on Day 5 of the 2020 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 24, 2020, in Melbourne, Australia. (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Photos: Novak Djokovic through the years 2021: Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates winning match point in his Men's Singles third-round match against Taylor Fritz of the United States during Day 5 of the 2021 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on February 12, 2021, in Melbourne, Australia. (Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
