Will play or not play?
Novak Djokovic's participation in the Australian Open is on hold as Australia denied him access on Wednesday due to his alleged non-vaccination against Covid-19.
The world number one, who has challenged the decision, could be sent off next week.
Is Novak Djokovic vaccinated?
“Personally, I am not for vaccines.
I would not like someone forcing me to be vaccinated to travel, ”Novak Djokovic had said in April 2020.
“Freedom of choice is essential for everyone, mine and that of others.
(…) We should have the freedom to choose, to decide what we want to do.
In this particular case, what we want to inject into the body.
I have always defended freedom of choice and I will continue to do so, ”he repeated in November during a press conference.
Not vaccinated against Covid-19 Djokovic?
If everything suggests, he never said it officially.
Why did Australia deny its access?
The Australian Open, one of the main tennis competitions in the world, is set to open January 17-30, 2022 in Melbourne. Novak Djokovic naturally had to participate, with the possibility of passing Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the number of Majors. However, the Australian rules are very strict (almost the strictest in the world as there are few exceptions): the borders are closed to tourists, foreigners with a visa must be able to present proof of a vaccination against Covid- 19.
Wishing his subscribers the new year, Novak Djokovic announced Tuesday on Instagram, all smiles, to "move" to Australia with a "derogation", without specifying the content.
"He asked for a medical exemption which was granted to him following a rigorous control process involving two panels of independent medical experts", quickly cleared the organizers of the Grand Slam, without wanting to expand further because of the Confidential medical information.
Read also Visa refused, interrogation, isolation ... story of a crazy night
Still, when he arrived at Melbourne airport on Wednesday, Novak Djokovic was detained by the immigration services. "Mr. Djokovic failed to provide adequate evidence to qualify for entry into Australia, and his visa was subsequently canceled," the Australian border agency wrote in a statement. "We await his presentation and that he provides us with evidence to support this exemption," warned the Australian Prime Minister. If this evidence is insufficient, then he will not be treated any differently from anyone else, and he will return home on the first plane. There will be no special rule for Novak Djokovic. Not the least. "
According to the local newspaper The Age, Novak Djokovic would have proposed as a waiver proof of his infection with Covid-19 less than six months ago.
An argument which, in the eyes of the authorities, according to the newspaper, is not enough.
Positive in June 2020 for the first time for Covid-19, Novak Djokovic had never reported a new contamination since.
And now ?
This is the mystery.
Novak Djokovic has been granted a reprieve and has yet to be forced to leave Australia.
The tennis player effectively challenged Australia's decision not to let him in.
During an initial hearing Thursday, a government lawyer said the deportation would not come until another hearing scheduled for Monday.
Until then, the Serbian is kept in a hotel.
History becomes political and therefore diplomatic.
The Serbian president has stepped up to the plate.
Aleksandar Vucic, claiming to have spoken with him on the phone, wrote on Instagram that "all of Serbia were with him" and that "the authorities were taking all necessary measures to ensure that the mistreatment of the best tennis player in the world ceased as soon as possible. ".
