After four nights in an Australian immigration detention hotel, Novak Djokovic will get his day in court Monday in a deportation case that has polarized opinions and elicited heartfelt support for the top-ranked tennis star in his native Serbia. (More Tennis News)
Djokovic had his visa canceled after arriving at Melbourne airport last week when Australian border officials ruled that he didn바카라t meet the criteria for an exemption to an entry requirement that all non-citizens be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.
His lawyers have since filed court papers in his challenge against deportation from Australia that show Djokovic tested positive for COVID-19 last month and recovered. He used that as grounds in applying for a medical exemption to Australia바카라s strict vaccination rules.
The case is scheduled for a virtual hearing to appeal the visa cancellation. It will take place at 10 a.m. local time in Melbourne (2300 GMT Sunday) in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.
In Serbia on Saturday, Djokovic바카라s family held a rally in support of him in Belgrade for the third successive day, and Prime Minister Ana Brnabic assured him of her government바카라s support over his visa battle to ensure he can enter Australia and defend his Australian Open title. The tournament begins Jan. 17 바카라 just a week from his court date.
바카라We바카라ve managed to make sure gluten-free food is delivered to him, as well as exercising tools, a laptop and a SIM card so that he is able to be in contact with his family,바카라 Brnabic said. It comes as Australian media reported that immigration officials denied a request to have Djokovic바카라s personal chef cook meals for him in the immigration hotel.
Djokovic is nine-time Australian Open champion. He has 20 Grand Slam singles title, a men바카라s record he shares with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
In Djokovic바카라s perfect world, he would have been eating food cooked by that personal chef, worked out at a gym and trained every day on-court since his arrival, mingling with his support group and friends along the way.
Instead, he바카라s been confined to his room in a modest immigration hotel in downtown Melbourne, with guards in the corridor.
The case has become a complex one.
Djokovic was given a medical exemption backed by the Victoria state government and Australian Open organizers on Jan. 1, based on information he supplied to two independent medical panels. He was approved for a visa electronically.
But it has since emerged that the Victoria state medical exemption, allowed for people who tested positive for the coronavirus within the last six months, was deemed invalid by the federal border authorities.
It would have been valid to enter the tournament, but it wasn바카라t enough to satisfy the Australian Border Force.
Australian media have reported details of the court documents expected to entered into testimony on Monday. It showed Djokovic received a letter from Tennis Australia바카라s chief medical officer on Dec. 30 바카라recording that he had been provided with a 바카라medical exemption from COVID vaccination바카라 on the grounds that he had recently recovered from COVID.바카라
It said Djokovic바카라s first positive test was Dec. 16 and, on the date of issue, the exemption said the 34-year-old player 바카라had not had a fever or respiratory symptoms in the past 72 hours.바카라
Djokovic attended a Dec. 17 event in Belgrade honoring young tennis players. The event was covered by local media, and parents posted photos on social media showing Djokovic and the children not wearing masks. It바카라s not clear if Djokovic knew the results of his test at the time.
On Dec. 14, Djokovic had attended a Euroleague basketball game between Red Star and Barcelona in a packed sports hall in Belgrade. He was photographed hugging several players of both teams, including some who soon later tested positive.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who said 바카라rules are rules바카라 and that incoming passengers were responsible for meeting border regulations, has been accused of taking advantage of Djokovic바카라s case to improve his battered standings in popularity polls ahead of a looming election.
Djokovic바카라s plight has prompted claims from Serbia that Djokovic is being treated like a prisoner. The player himself appears to have become a standard-bearer for anti-vaccine groups, including some people who바카라ve gathered outside for support outside his immigration hotel.
Australian Open organizers have been been taking some heat over the Djokovic situation, and with apparent good reason.
Tennis Australia, which runs the tournament and organizes the logistics for more than 2,000 incoming players, staff and officials, reportedly gave incorrect interpretations to players about the acceptable grounds for an exemption. That included the interpretation that having had a coronavirus infection within the previous six months would qualify. Organizers have blamed the federal government for its mixed messages on the policy.
Tournament director Craig Tiley has continued working in the background with Djokovic, or so it seems.
Tiley바카라s video message to Australian Open staff about the tournament바카라s 바카라difficult time in the public arena바카라 was published in News Corp. newspapers Saturday.
바카라There바카라s been a circumstance that relates to a couple of players, Novak particularly . . . in a situation that is very difficult,바카라 Tiley said in the video. 바카라We바카라re a player-first event. We바카라re working closely with Novak and his team, and others and their team, that are in this situation.바카라
Djokovic was one of two players put into detention in the hotel that also houses refugees and asylum seekers. A third person, reported to be an official, left the country voluntarily after border force investigations.
The other player was 38-year-old doubles specialist Renata VoráÄÂová, who had already been in Australia for a week before an investigation by the border officials. The Czech foreign ministry said VoráÄÂová voluntarily left Australia after deciding not to appeal the decision.
The court hearing on Monday will determine whether Djokovic is not far behind her.
