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Novak Djokovic
Photo: Justin Setterfield / Getty Images
In the tennis world there is currently only one topic: Novak Djokovic's trip to Australia.
Or: to the airport in Melbourne and a quarantine hotel nearby.
The athlete didn't get much further on Thursday night.
The Australian government has refused entry and revoked his visa because of his unclear vaccination status.
Djokovic is expelled.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has defended the decision.
"Rules are rules, especially when it comes to our borders," wrote Morrison on Thursday morning, Australian time on Twitter.
Nobody is above the law.
"Our strict entry restrictions were decisive in ensuring that we have one of the lowest death rates from Covid-19 in the world," wrote Morrison, "we remain vigilant."
As expected, the father of the sports professional sees it a little differently.
“It's just shameful.
Deportation, "Srdjan Djokovic told the Serbian newspaper" Blic "late on Wednesday evening.
"I can't talk to my son, they portray him as a criminal. I have no words for everything they did to him."
After his visa has been revoked, Djokovic has to wait for his departure in a quarantine hotel in the Carlton district of Melbourne.
TV pictures show how the Serb arrives at the Park Hotel.
Djokovic wants to apply for an injunction against the decision, said on the night of a person familiar with the matter from the Australian Open.
The Australian Border Guard, which is also responsible for the entry rules at airports, said: “He did not have the necessary evidence to meet the entry requirements for this country.
As a result, his visa was canceled. “Non-citizens in such a situation would be detained and then deported.
There is great anger in Belgrade
In Serbia, this step was observed extremely critically, even at the highest political level.
President Aleksandar Vucic wrote on social media: "I told Novak that all of Serbia stands behind him and that we are doing everything we can to stop this harassment of one of the best tennis players in the world."
In accordance with "all norms of international public law", Serbia will fight for "Novak Djokovic, for justice and truth".
The Australian government's ambassador in Belgrade has been summoned to deal with the case.
Djokovic actually wanted to start at the Australian Open on January 17th.
Only players who have been double-vaccinated against the coronavirus or who have received a medical exemption are allowed to take part.
Those affected, however, have to prove an acute medical condition, which is difficult to imagine as a top athlete.
An illness with the virus after the first of August can also be a reason.
The tournament management had granted a special permit
Djokovic, who does not make his vaccination status public, had stated that he had received such an exemption.
This was also confirmed by the tournament management of the Australian Open.
The exemption was granted "after a strict test procedure with the participation of two independent medical expert committees."
However, the athlete did not manage to enter the country.
According to the Australian media, the documents submitted by Djokovic did not provide for medical exemptions for unvaccinated people.
The therefore contacted authorities of the Australian state of Victoria refused to support the world number one.
Prime Minister Morrison had previously requested sufficient evidence for the medical exemption: “He has to do this, because if he is not vaccinated, he must provide acceptable evidence that he cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons in order to have access to the same travel rules as Get fully vaccinated travelers, ”said Morrison.
Otherwise Djokovic would be "on the first plane home".
The exception permission had caused outrage in Australia before the 34-year-old's arrival: the broadcaster ABC wrote that it triggered “anger and confusion”.
Other comments ranged from "slap in the face for all Australians" to "slap in the face for millions of Australians".
Thousands of citizens are still waiting to return to Australia after many months with closed borders.
The number of infections is currently rising rapidly down under due to the spread of the Omikron variant.
So far, however, the Morrison government has ruled out new lockdowns - it should not be unhappy about the positive headlines that can be expected in the country after the Djokovic case.
jok / dpa