Australia cancels Novak Djokovic's visa for the second time and opens the door to his deportation

By Yuliya TalmazanNBC

Tennis star Novak Djokovic is facing possible deportation from Australia after the country's immigration minister decided to cancel his visa for the second time on Friday.

The decision is the latest twist episode that has grabbed headlines around the world and become a flashpoint in the debate over COVID-19 vaccination mandates.

The decision could end the Serb's bid for his

major title at the Australian Open, which starts on Monday.

[Novak Djokovic received an exemption to enter Australia after passing COVID-19, according to court documents]

Djokovic's lawyers will appeal to the courts to seek an injunction preventing him from being forced to leave the country.

If they don't, you won't be able to reapply for an Australian visa for three years.

In a decision likely to have wide-ranging sporting and diplomatic consequences, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said in a statement on Friday that he had used his discretionary powers to cancel the visa again "on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so". .

The Government is "strongly committed to protecting Australia's borders, especially in relation to the coronavirus pandemic," Hawke added.

Djokovic, 34, had his Australian visa reinstated earlier this week by a judge who ordered him released from immigration detention.

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The men's tennis No. 1, who is unvaccinated, had his visa revoked for the first time last week, after border agents rejected his application for a medical exemption when he arrived in Melbourne.

But Djokovic won a legal appeal that allowed him to stay in the country and start preparing for the tournament, even as the threat of deportation hung over his head. 

Djokovic admitted on Wednesday that he made a false statement on his travel form to enter Australia and did not immediately self-isolate after testing positive for COVID-19 in Serbia last month, increasing scrutiny from Australian authorities and the media. of communication from all over the world.

[Djokovic's fans furiously celebrate the judge's decision that released him]

The country's strict border regulations require all non-Australians to be vaccinated to enter the country.

All Australian Open players, staff, officials and fans must also be fully vaccinated to enter the tournament venue.

Court files from earlier this week confirmed that the tennis star is not vaccinated, but Djokovic argued that he received a medical exemption to enter the country because he was diagnosed with coronavirus in Serbia last month and had since recovered.

Djokovic spent four days in an immigration detention center, among asylum seekers and undocumented immigrants, awaiting a verdict on his visa appeal.

Monday's court decision was silent on whether the reason for his medical exemption was valid.

Serbian men's defending champion Novak Djokovic trains at the Margaret Court Arena ahead of the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne on January 13, 2022.Mark Baker/AP

Tournament organizers entered Djokovic in Thursday's draw while his case remained in limbo, though it was delayed amid the uncertainty.

The top seed continued to train at the Rod Laver Arena as he tried to refocus on tennis and his bid to become the all-time leader in Grand Slam men's singles titles.  

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The case surrounding Djokovic has left many Australians outraged, as the omicron variant has fueled a new wave of cases in the country after months of severe restrictions on the country's citizens.

The furor has rocked the tennis world and cast a shadow over preparations for the Australian Open, putting the sport at the center of the global debate over government restrictions to fight the pandemic.

It has also garnered strong support for Djokovic in his native Serbia, where his family and the country's leaders have criticized Australia's treatment of the national sporting icon.