NoVax Djokovic Fights Deportation From Australia

World No.1 Confined In An Immigration Detention Hotel While He Fights Deportation From Australia

Melbourne: Novak Djokovic faced at least 72 hours holed up in a Melbourne hotel for immigration detainees after he was denied entry into Australia on Thursday amid a political firestorm over his medical exemption from Covid-19 vaccination requirements.

The tennis star, who is chasing a record-breaking 21st Grand Slam at the Australian Open, remained in the country after his lawyers launched an appeal seeking to overturn the federal government decision. A court agreed not to deport him before a full hearing scheduled for Monday.

The saga, fuelled by domestic political point-scoring about the country’s handling of a record surge in new Covid-19 infections, has led to an international row, with Serbia’s president claiming his nation’s most celebrated sportsman was being harassed. Djokovic’s family on Thursday held a rally in front of Serbia’s parliament building in Belgrade, with around 300 fans.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison defended the decision to deny Djokovic entry at a televised news briefing. “There are no special cases, rules are rules,” he said. “We will continue to make the right decisions when it comes to securing Australian borders in relation to this pandemic.”

Djokovic, who has consistently refused to disclose his vaccination status while publicly criticising mandatory vaccines, kicked off the furore when he said on Instagram on Tuesday he had received a medical exemption to compete in the Open starting Jan. 17. At a hearing in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia on Thursday evening, lawyers for Djokovic and the government agreed the player could remain in the country until at least Monday.