First modification:
This Friday, January 14, the Serbian tennis player’s lawyers stopped his immediate deportation before a Melbourne court, but a judge determined that Djokovic be detained when he attends an appointment with immigration officials on Saturday morning. The number one in the world entered Australia without having been vaccinated against Covid-19, a requirement for non-citizens and non-residents in this country.
The case of Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic remains unsolved, with only a few days left before the opening of the Australian Open.
A Melbourne court held an emergency hearing on January 14 to address the second cancellation of the athlete’s visa, who refused to be vaccinated against Covid-19 when entering the country.
The hearing, which began at 8:45 p.m. local time, was presided over by Judge Anthony Kelly. Hours earlier, the athlete’s visa had been canceled by Alex Hawke, the Australian Immigration Minister.
The lawyer for the Immigration Ministry, Stephen Lloyd, assured that the tennis player “will not be detained tonight” or deported until his meeting with Immigration officials on Saturday at 8:00 in the morning, local time.
Judge Kelly ruled that Djokovic remain free until he attends an appointment with immigration officials in Melbourne, where he will be detained.
On the other hand, Nicholas Wood, the world number one’s lawyer, asked the court for the next hearing to take place on Sunday, one day before the Australian Open begins. There the parties will present their arguments before a federal court.
“Mr. Djokovic might have to play on Monday or Tuesday. In those circumstances, we are very concerned about the weather,” Wood explained.
Djokovic landed in Melbourne on January 5. He entered Australia without having been immunized against Covid-19, although he presented a medical exemption that allowed him to play in the Australian Open without being vaccinated. However, the authorities found irregularities in his statements, so they canceled his visa and now the case went to a federal court.
With EFE and Reuters
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