Djokovic Given Exemption After Testing Positive In December, Lawyers Claim

The saga over Novak Djokovic’s botched entry into Australia took another twist yesterday as his lawyers claimed the world No 1 was granted a vaccine exemption after testing positive for Covid-19 on 16 December.

- Tom Kershaw

The nine-times Australian Open champion’s fast-tracked appeal will be heard tomorrow morning in Melbourne, five days after his dramatic detainment by border offiials on Wednesday.

In court documents released yesterday, Djokovic’s lawyers state that he had been granted a vaccine exemption by the Victorian state government and Tennis Australia, and also included a letter dated 1 January from Australia’s Department of Home Affairs – the agency that has detained him – indicating that he “met the requirements for a quarantine-free arrival”.

Djokovic’s social media post revealing that he had been granted such an exemption prior to boarding a plane in Dubai provoked a furious reaction from within Australia, prompting political intervention from prime minister Scott Morrison’s government.

After arriving at Tullamarine airport, the 34-year-old was held by the Australian Border Force (ABF) for around 10 hours before being transferred to the Park Hotel, which his parents have compared to a prison.

Requests for Djokovic to have access to a personal chef and tennis court were bluntly rejected by authorities who insist he will not benefit from any special treatment.