NO IMMEDIATE DEPORTATION FOR DJOKOVIC; WINS COURT BID TO STAY IN AUSTRALIA TILL MONDAY

World number one Novak Djokovic won his court bid on Thursday and as a result, there would be no immediate deportation, allowing the defending Australian Open champion to stay in Melbourne until at least Monday.

Djokovic had decided to mount a legal challenge to his visa cancellation by Australia. He decided to fight it out after he had to spend eight hours in detention at Melbourne Airport where he unsuccessfully pleaded his case to border officials. As per a report in Sydney Morning Herald, Djokovic’s lawyers had appeared in an online hearing on Thursday. After the Serbian’s visa was cancelled, he was sent to immigration detention at the Park Hotel in Carlton.

Djokovic’s legal team also managed to secure an interim injunction preventing authorities to deport the tennis star until at least Monday, when a more substantive hearing is scheduled. As per the guidelines, the evidence must be presented at the border by people who are unvaccinated for COVID-19. Australia on Thursday cancelled world number one Novak Djokovic’s visa to enter the country, Health Minister Greg Hunt confirmed.

Earlier, Djokovic had landed in Australia citing a medical exemption to play in the Australian Open. The particular vaccine exemption which Djokovic cited created a huge controversy and it received backlash from the Australian public. Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday said Djokovic is no special case and the same rules as everyone will apply to him.

“Mr Djokovic’s visa has been cancelled. Rules are rules, especially when it comes to our borders. No one is above these rules. Our strong border policies have been critical to Australia having one of the lowest death rates in the world from COVID, we are continuing to be vigilant,” Morrison tweeted.