Novinite.com
14 Jan 2022, 23:11 GMT+10
Australia has revoked Novak Djokovic's World Tennis visa for the second time, the BBC reported.
Immigration Minister Alex Hawke's decision means Djokovic must be deported.
The tennis player is in Australia to participate in the Australian Open, but entered the country on January 6 without being vaccinated, citing a permit granted on the basis of a medical exception. His visa was revoked at the border on the grounds that he had not provided enough convincing evidence to obtain a medical exemption, and the tennis player was locked up in a migrant center while awaiting a decision on the appeal. The court ruled in his favor, but Australian law allows the Minister for Migration to make an individual decision regardless of the court's ruling.
"Today I exercised my powers under section 133C (3) of the Migration Act to revoke the visa held by Mr. Novak Djokovic for reasons of health and good order, based on the fact that it was in the public interest," Hawke was quoted as saying by TheAge. "In making that decision, I have carefully considered the information provided to me by the Home Office, the Australian Border Force and Mr. Djokovic."
Djokovic claimed to have received a medical exemption and had not been vaccinated because he had COVID-19 in December. However, the documentation on the case raised doubts about the veracity of the allegation. He was also puzzled by the fact that at the time Djokovic claimed to be ill, he was involved in public events.
The law entitles the Minister to deport anyone he deems to pose a potential risk to the health, safety, or well-being of Australian society.
The 34-year-old Serbian and nine-time Australian Open champion can now appeal again to stay in the country. He is in the main draw for the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, which starts on Monday. The athlete's lawyers said they would appeal the decision, which could lead to Djokovic's ban on traveling to Australia for three years, BNR added.
Hawke also made the decision amid allegations against Djokovic that he had filled out a false declaration that he had not traveled 14 days before arriving in Australia. His photos from his training in Spain, as well as from the celebration of Christmas in his native Serbia, were published during this period.
Djokovic later admitted that his agent had mistakenly ticked the NO box to the question about the trip, copying the answer from a previous statement from the tennis player.
/OFFNews
Copyright (c) Novinite.com. Published with permission via Big News Network news agency
Get a daily dose of Australian Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Australian Herald.
More InformationATHENS, Greece: In a significant move for Greece, which has intensified its campaign to bring back sculptures from its most ...
TOKYO, Japan: China's efforts to develop areas in the East China Sea are "unacceptable," Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said ...
SAN FRANCISCO, California: In a letter released this week, the archbishop of San Francisco, Salvatore Cordileone, said U.S. House Speaker ...
BERLIN, Germany: At least 43 people were injured after a tornado struck the western German city of Paderborn on May ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: The Department of Justice has said that an American citizen and four Chinese intelligence officers have been charged ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: Due to the inability of businesses to hire enough workers, the U.S. has announced that it will grant ...
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 24 (ANI): Former Indian batter Virender Sehwag recalled how former skipper and legendary spinner Anil Kumble ...
There are no reasons to panic, the national health watchdog saysThe Russian national health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, sees no reason to ...
The QUAD summit in Tokyo has praised Australia raising its ambition on climate change, after Anthony Albanese told fellow leaders ...
Tokyo [Japan], May 24 (ANI): Quad member countries have agreed to hold the next in-person summit in 2023 which will ...
Tokyo [Japan], May 24 (ANI): On the sidelines of bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the newly-elected Australian Prime ...
Tokyo [Japan], May 24 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday highlighted India's consistent and principled position on the need ...