Tennis | Novak Djokovic is under arrest again: The second week of the tennis star’s visa saga in Australia has progressed

Tennis world number one player Novak Djokovicin the visa saga has now lasted just over a week in Australia. Djokovic was arrested again on Saturday, and a hearing is ahead on Sunday that will likely ultimately decide whether the Serb will defend his championship in the Australian Open at Monday or pass him home on a return flight.

But how have events in Australia progressed? In this story, the course of events is repeated.

Djokovic opposes coronary vaccinations

The events in Australia are based on Djokovic’s anti-vaccine opposition. Right at the start of the pandemic, in April 2020, Djokovic said he opposes vaccinations and refuses to require coronary vaccination to travel.

More confusion Djokovic caused in June 2020 by hosting an invitational tournament that became a corona throw. He later apologized for hosting the tournament.

Also under last year’s Australian Open, Djokovic was in the headlines when he loudly opposed players ’quarantine rules. He himself was in Adelaide, where he had access to a gym and tennis courts.

Djokovic was allowed to participate in the tournament on January 4th

Djokovic had not said if he had been vaccinated and doubts arose as to whether he could play in Australia. However, Djokovic was granted permission by the Australian Tennis Association participate in the tournament on the basis of a “medical exception”.

“Djokovic applied for a medical exemption, which was granted after a rigorous evaluation process by two separate panels of independent medical experts,” the tennis association’s statement said.

The question arose as to what medical exception Djokovic has, i.e., why he can avoid vaccinations. The corona infection obtained quickly became estimated.

“If he has not been vaccinated, he must provide acceptable evidence that he cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons,” said the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Djokovic arrived in Australia and his visa was revoked

Djokovic, 34, arrived in Australia on 5 January. He was stuck at Melbourne Airport, where the validity of his visa was verified for ten hours.

The end result was that the visa was not accepted and the player was transported to a Park hotel that accommodates, among other things, asylum seekers. Djokovic announced that he was filing a complaint.

Australian Prime Minister Morrison confirmed that the visa has been revoked and that the rules are the rules and no one is above the rules.

Djokovic receives support in Serbia and outside the hotel

There were plenty of protesters outside the hotel, many of whom were present to defend the asylum seekers. Gradually, Djokovic’s supporters also arrived.

The turnaround quickly rose to the level of state leadership after the Serbian president after Morrison’s comment Aleksandar Vučić said in BBC News Djokovic is a victim of bullying.

“And the whole of Serbia supports him,” Vučić said, adding that there is nothing wrong with relations between Serbia and Australia.

Djokovic’s father Srdjan Djokovic said his son is in a hotel room guarded by police.

The reason for the medical exception is stated in the complaint

Djokovic’s complaint was heard on January 10, but before that, on Saturday, January 7, Djokovic’s lawyers’ arguments as to why his visa should be accepted were published.

According to the explanatory memorandum, Djokovic’s corona test was positive on 16 December. Six days later, the test was negative and he was no longer symptomatic.

The embarrassment was that Djokovic was at a public event in Belgrade on both December 16 and 17 without a mask hugging young players.

Djokovic’s appeal is upheld

Djokovic won the winners. Judge of the Federal Regional Court On January 10, Anthony Kelly decided that Djokovic should be released from entry detention. According to Kelly, the government’s decision to revoke the visa was unreasonable. The tennis star got his passport back and he got to practice.

Australian Minister for Immigration Alex Hawke however, reserved the right to exercise his personal power and revoke Djokovic’s visa again.

Djokovic was not quarantined after the test result

Djokovic’s behavior after a positive corona test (December 16) immediately aroused surprise. On January 12, the player himself explained why he was handing out prizes on December 17.

He said he did a quick test before the incident. According to the star, the result of the quick test was negative.

“I was asymptomatic and felt good, and I only got a positive PCR test after the incident,” he wrote on Instagram.

In addition, Djokovic gave an interview to a French newspaper on December 18th.

“In retrospect, it was a miscalculation, I should have postponed this commitment,” Djokovic wrote.

Strangeness in a positive test result

German On 11 January, Der Spiegel published a story in which it had examined documents documenting Djokovic’s test results.

The first oddity, according to the magazine, is that the qr code first gave a negative test result. More than an hour later, the result was positive. Der Spiegel did code scans on January 10th.

In addition, Der Spiegel is amazed at the test sequence number. That is 50,000 digits higher than the negative test result issued on December 22nd. On top of all that, 22-26. Between December and December, just 50,000 tests were taken in Serbia.

According to a German expert interviewed by Der Spiegel, it would be more likely that Djokovic would not have given a positive test result until 26 December.

Djokovic will be entered into the tournament draw

The draw for the Australian Open tennis tournament was postponed as organizers awaited Minister Hawke’s decision on whether he would veto the rejection of Djokovic’s visa.

There was no decision and a draw was made. Djokovic took part in the draw and got his compatriot in the first round Miomir Kecmanovićin.

The visa will be refused again

On Friday, January 14, Minister Hawke’s decision came. Hawke justified the revocation of the visa on the grounds that an unvaccinated Djokovic could “pose a risk to the community” and that the decision was made in the public interest.

According to news agencies, Djokovic was immediately granted a three-year visa ban, except in compelling circumstances.

Djokovic complains again and is arrested again

The visa saga did not end with another rejection. Djokovic’s lawyers filed a new complaint. Late Friday night, it became clear that this time the appeal would be heard in the federal court, not the district court, as the player’s background forces would have liked.

Djokovic is also under arrest in Melbourne while his deportation is being processed. Djokovic was interviewed by immigration authorities on Saturday, but the court hearing is on Sunday.

The case is criticized as a political game

Australian newspaper Sydney Morning Heraldin According to Djokovic ‘s lawyers, there is widespread support for the survival of a tennis star and that expulsion would be contrary to the public interest.

“It [karkottaminen] could only serve political interests, ”the lawyers say.

Australia will hold parliamentary elections this year.

Serbian President Vučić also reiterated his position and accused Australia of treating Djokovic.

“Why is he being treated badly, why is this happening not only to him but also to his family and the whole [Serbian] people, ”Vučić told Reuters.