Australia cancels Novak Djokovic’s visa for the second one time

Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates profitable towards Marin Cilic of Croatia in fit 2 of the Davis Cup Semi Ultimate at Madrid Enviornment on December 3, 2021.

Sanjin Strukic | Pixsell | MB Media | Getty Photographs

Tennis megastar Novak Djokovic has had his visa canceled as soon as once more forward of the Australian Open because the furor over his Covid-19 vaccination standing intensifies.

It comes after Djokovic on Monday received a court docket fight to stick within the nation after his visa was once first of all revoked. The 34-year-old Serbian nationwide was once detained in an immigration facility closing week after arriving in Melbourne forward of the Australian Open for what officers stated violated the rustic’s strict access laws that require guests be vaccinated towards Covid.

Monday’s court docket ruling intended Djokovic’s visa remained legitimate and he was once launched from detention. However the Australian executive has now acted as soon as once more.

“Nowadays I exercised my energy below segment 133C(3) of the Migration Act to cancel the visa held via Mr Novak Djokovic on well being and just right order grounds, at the foundation that it was once within the public passion to take action,” Australia’s Immigration Minister Alex Hawke stated in a commentary on Friday.

Djokovic, a vocal vaccine skeptic aiming for a record-breaking twenty first Grand Slam identify, first of all had his passport confiscated on Jan. 5 after customs officers determined he didn’t have enough scientific justification for a vaccine exemption.

Djokovic’s workforce of legal professionals argued in a court docket submitting Saturday that the tennis participant’s contraction of Covid-19 — for which he examined sure on Dec. 16 — served as a enough vaccine exemption.

However controversy adopted when footage emerged from Dec. 17 of Djokovic and several other Serbian adolescence tennis avid gamers, unmasked and indoors. Previous this week, Djokovic admitted and apologized for failing to isolate right away after contracting Covid in December.

On Thursday, the tennis megastar was once integrated within the draw for the Australian Open, which begins Monday, regardless of uncertainty over his participation.