Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open Offer Balances Amid Questions About Visa Application

There are new questions about Novak Djokovic’s application to enter Australia after court documents appear to suggest that the tennis star did not give correct information about his movements before traveling to the country.

The men’s world number one is awaiting a decision from the federal government, expected Tuesday, on whether to revoke his visa a second time and deport him, depriving him of the opportunity to compete for a record 21 Grand Slam title at Australia next week. Opened.

On Monday, a court ordered that Djokovic be released from immigration detention after canceling the cancellation of your visa by the authorities on his vaccination status, citing procedural errors.

Documents released by the Federal Circuit Court revealed that the 34-year-old Serb, who confirmed that he is not vaccinated against COVID-19, told authorities that he had not traveled in the 14 days prior to his flight to Australia.

Djokovic landed in Melbourne shortly before midnight on Wednesday and answered “no” to the question about previous travel on his Australian travel declaration form.

But the reigning Australian Open champion was filmed playing tennis on the streets of the Serbian capital Belgrade on Christmas Day and training in Spain on December 31, both dates within the 14-day window.

The statement notes that giving false or misleading information is a serious crime and that there are also civil penalties.

Djokovic told border officials that Tennis Australia completed the statement on his behalf, but the official who canceled his visa noted that the sporting body would have provided it “based on information provided by the visa holder.”

Since Djokovic’s visa was canceled, Czech tennis player Renata Voráčová and an anonymous European tennis official have been deported for similar reasons.

An Australian soul-searching on the visa debacle

On Monday, the circuit judge hearing Djokovic’s case noted that the player had provided Melbourne airport officials with a medical exemption granted by Tennis Australia, which organizes the tournament, and two medical panels.

But Australian Border Force officials did not accept the waiver and Djokovic was sent to an immigration detention hotel, pending his appeal.

To enter Australia, travelers must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have an exemption with a genuine medical reason.

The Conservative government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison blamed Tennis Australia for the debacle, which ministers accuse of misleading players about Australia’s vaccination requirements.

But newspapers reported that Tennis Australia had pleaded with the Department of the Interior to verify the visa documentation of Djokovic and other players before boarding the planes. The department did not.

The opposition’s internal affairs spokeswoman, Kristina Keneally, blamed the confusion over the tennis star’s visa on the government’s lack of planning.

It should have been clear whether it was right for Djokovic to enter the country to play in the Australian Open when he was initially granted the visa, Keneally said.

“If (he) is deported, he does incredible harm to Australia. If he stays, he does incredible damage to our tough border laws and is a real insult to the Australians who did the hard work of closures and vaccinations, “Keneally told Seven Network television.

Keneally said the Djokovic saga made Australia “look like a joke” on the world stage.

Daniel Andrews, prime minister of the state of Victoria, which hosts the Australian Open, said the federal government had changed its border rules in recent months.

“When we discussed exemptions earlier, you will recall that Minister Hawke had said that he hoped that if he was not double vaccinated, he would not enter the country, whether he is playing tennis or doing anything else.” said Andrews, who like Keneally is a member of the center-left Labor Party.

“It turned out that that was not the position of the Commonwealth government and that they have been letting in people who have not been twice vaccinated,” Andrews added.