January 4
The announcement via Instagram of the departure of the
"
Djoker
"
for Australia
Very proud, the world number one poses with his rackets at the airport and reveals that he benefits from a medical exemption to compete in the Open Australia, ending a long suspense.
This message does not go unnoticed and confirms what everyone imagined: the Serb refuses to go through the vaccine box.
This clumsy communication leaves many observers skeptical and annoys (already) Australians and the population of Melbourne, which has suffered the heaviest confinement in the world since the start of the pandemic.
To discover
Australian Open: men's schedule and results
Australian Open: ladies schedule and results
Read alsoWhy the controversial exemption of “Novax” Djokovic will not heal his popularity
January 5
The arrest and the cancellation of the visa
Djokovic believes to have made the hardest part.
Wrongly.
The Serb is, on his arrival in Melbourne, intercepted by the border police.
The latter refuses him entry into the territory.
The reason ?
He does not sufficiently justify his medical exemption.
The nine-time Australian Open winner is facing deportation as his visa is revoked.
The galley begins for him.
Read alsoAustralian Open: Djokovic's visa has been canceled
January 6-7
The transfer to a detention center
It is stunning.
The man with 20 Grand Slam titles was interrogated at the airport overnight, then transferred to a detention center for migrants.
Or rather an unsanitary hotel where refugees have lived for years, without papers.
The star's lawyers are appealing.
The family mobilizes in Belgrade and the father compares his son to Spartacus.
Lunar.
Read alsoAustralian Open: before knowing his fate ... Djokovic is staying in a hotel for illegal refugees
Read alsoDjokovic's father defends his son, "leader of the free world" and "Spartacus of the new world"
January 8
Revelation of the positive test of December 16
The lawyers of the Serb give a very complete file of 35 pages to the Australian justice. It is notably written that the native of Belgrade would have contracted the covid-19, on December 16, justifying the medical exemption, required by the Australian Tennis Federation. Problem this exemption has not recognized according to the authorities as valid to authorize a foreigner to arrive on its soil...
January 9
Irresponsible behavior
New twist.
While he should have observed a period of isolation, from his positive test, from December 16, social networks prove that the Serb participated in several indoor events in Belgrade, the same day of his positive control.
All without wearing a mask.
And on December 18, he received the 2021 Champion of Champions
Team
trophy and gave a long interview, masked, and a photo shoot, unmasked.
Read alsoDjokovic case: did the world No. 1 lie?
January 10
A victory for Djokovic
After a hearing visible to the whole world, Judge Kelly lifts the cancellation of the Serbian's visa. According to him, the Serb was unable to provide more information to the border police. The judge thus orders his immediate release. The world number one, released from his detention center, trains with his staff and clarifies on social networks that he is determined to compete in the Australian Open. The family jubilates and gives a press conference as if the son had won his "
game
" against the Australian authorities. But Immigration Minister Alex Hawke says he has the ability to use his "
personal power to cancel
and expel the defending champion from the country.
The showdown is off to a good start.
Read alsoDjokovic case: the soap opera is still bouncing back
January 11
Very disturbing revelations
Two new embarrassing elements for the Serb are revealed.
An investigation by the German newspaper Der Spiegel casts serious doubt on the date of the positive test of "
Novax
".
And on the form for entering Australian territory, Djokovic declares that he had not traveled in the fourteen days before his arrival in Australia.
Which is wrong.
Footage shows him training in Marbella on December 31 with the balls from the Australian Open.
Read alsoDjokovic case: doubts about the date of the positive test of the Serb?
Jan 12
Djokovic on the defensive
On Instagram, Djokovic defends himself and talks about “
misinformation
” about his appearances in public after his positive test on December 16 and gives his timeline of events. He recognizes, on the other hand, a "
human error certainly not deliberate
" on the part of his "
agent
", for having wrongly declared on his arrival in Australia that he had not traveled during the previous 14 days. He also admits that meeting the newspaper
L'Équipe
when he was positive was "
an error of judgment
".
The situation of the Serb is weakening.
The government having the possibility to cancel their visa again on the grounds that a criminal offense has been committed, for example by making a false entry declaration.
January 13
Djokovic still on probation
Novak Djokovic has been included in the Australian Open draw, but the legal tussle over his visa continues and the unvaccinated world number one remains under threat of deportation .
But the government decides not to... decide.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says that no decision has yet been made regarding a possible cancellation of the visa and deportation of the player.
January 14
Three days before the Australian Open (January 17-30), the world number one's Australian visa was canceled for the second time this Friday, announced Alex Hawke, the Minister of Immigration. This decision was taken “
on health and public order bases
”, specified the minister in a press release. It implies that the Serbian player, who was aiming for a record 21st Grand Slam title at the Australian Open which begins on Monday, will be banned from entering the country for three years except in certain circumstances. The Serb has the opportunity to appeal. But the timing is tight. And the chances of reversing the decision look very slim.
Read alsoDjokovic admits to having made “mistakes” in completing his entry form to Australia and in his behavior
